Holding Onto Hope
by MoonytheMarauder1
Summary: What would have happened if Remus had been sent to Azkaban instead of Sirius? After all, a werewolf is the most likely to turn bad... why should he receive a trial? Isn't a dead man's word enough? Not your usual Remus-in-Azkaban story.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey, guys. So, this is my attempt at a full-blown story- but don't worry, it's not going to be like the ones that are 40 chapters long. This is kind of a what-if sort of thing... What if Remus went to Azkaban instead of Sirius? I know the idea has been used a lot, but mine's going to be different, I promise. Obviously, this is AU, and I really hope you enjoy.** **By the way, this is going to be the shortest chapter, since I'm just setting the scene. The others will be longer.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Holding Onto Hope**

 **Chapter 1**

The year was 1981, and Sirius Black was sitting at his kitchen table, in his tiny apartment, reading an old novel Lily had told him to read. Sirius would never admit it, but he actually liked it- it was about this crazy pirate adventure, though he didn't understand a few parts- it was written by a Muggle author.

Sirius glanced at the clock above the window, to make sure he wouldn't miss the Potters' Halloween dinner. Sirius couldn't wait to see his godson... the kid put light in Sirius' dark life. The second Harry had opened his eyes in that hospital room, Sirius fell in love. He was more scared for Harry than he was ready to admit. Lily and James had decided that their Secret-Keeper would remain anonymous, for safety reasons, and Sirius agreed. He strongly suspected that it was Remus, however. Why wouldn't it be? He knew Peter thought the same- they had discussed it at length. Remus, the two of them knew, could keep a secret.

Sirius' gaze was drawn to the window, and his blood froze when he saw what was staining the horizon.

The Dark Mark.

All he knew about where James and Lily were hiding was that it was somewhere in Godric's Hollow- and that seemed to be exactly where the Mark was hovering.

Stumbling away from the table, Sirius Disapparated, praying, _pleading_ to whoever was listening that it wasn't James and Lily. Not them. _Not_ _Harry_.

He ran through the neighborhood, searching, following a billowing cloud of smoke, until he came to a house that had been blown apart. He ran through the front door, and stopped in front of a body.

 _No_.

Sirius wasn't aware that he was screaming. He didn't know he was crying. All that mattered, in that moment, was that his brother was dead. Gone. As though he had never existed.

But Sirius knew better.

He knew that James' missing grin would make the world a darker place. He knew that his missing mischievous laughter would make even the noisiest of places sound unnaturally quiet. He knew that he would never be able to fill this gaping hole in Lily and Harry's lives.

 _Lily and Harry_.

"LILY!" Sirius bellowed. "LILY!"

He ran around the house, screaming for the woman who had become like a sister to him. He had never hated silence more. But then he heard it.

A baby's cry.

"I'M COMING HARRY! I'M COMING!"

He flew up the stairs, crashing through doors until he found the right one. He ran over to Harry, scooping the wailing baby up in his arms.

"Shhh," Sirius cooed. "Uncle Padfoot's here. I- I'm here." Sirius began breaking down. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Lily's fiery red hair sprawled over the ground. But he couldn't bear to look at her unseeing eyes. He turned Harry slightly so he couldn't see, either.

There was a noise behind him, and Sirius whirled around.

Remus stood in the doorway, staring at Sirius and Harry in horror.

"No," Remus gasped, then Disapparated.

Sirius hugged Harry to his chest, a hurricane of emotions raging through him. Why had Remus looked so horrified? Why had he been staring at Harry and not his two dead friends? Where had he gone?

And, most hauntingly of all: _Was Remus the Secret-Keeper?_ If he had been... then he betrayed Lily and James, and left Harry orphaned.

Sirius shook his head. He couldn't think like that right now. Harry needed him. Merlin, when he had accepted James' offer to be godfather, he never thought he'd have to actually carry out those duties.

He Disapparated to St. Mungo's, to get the cut on Harry's head looked at. Then he took his godson home, and waited for the Aurors to bring news.

He didn't have to wait long.

By the next morning, Remus Lupin had killed Peter Pettigrew and thirteen muggles, and had been sentenced to a lifetime in Azkaban.

There was no trial.

Sirius didn't care.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey, y'all. I'm back for the second chapter- and thanks to everyone who reviewed! This chapter is going to be longer than the last one, for sure. Hope you all enjoy!**

 **Oh, and because I forgot last chapter- Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Those rights go to J. K. Rowling.**

Harry Potter enjoyed living with his godfather. He liked him much better than the Dursleys, anyway- which was where they were headed. Sirius hated them even more than Harry did, it seemed- the only reason they were going at all was because Dumbledore insisted that Harry stay with them for one week every year. Harry didn't know why, but Sirius did, and if Sirius thought it was important then Harry wouldn't ask questions.

One week with his aunt, uncle, and cousin was enough for him to realize how lucky he was to have Sirius.

They stood on the steps on Number 4, Privet Drive, in a stony silence. Having always hated silences, Sirius broke it.

"It's only for a week. Then we can play Quidditch, or invite Ron over, or go to Hogsmeade for some pointless shopping-"

"Sirius," Harry interrupted, grinning. "Every time we come here, it's like you think I'm going to hate you for leaving me with them. I know it's for a week. I'll be fine. Whatever they throw at me, I can handle. I'm a Gryffindor, remember? With Dad's courage, Mum's strength, and your determination- that's what you always say, anyway."

Sirius relaxed, mirroring Harry's grin. "You're right, of course. A kid with James and Lily for parents, and me as a godfather? Unstoppable! McGonagall nearly had a heart attack when she found out." he teased. Then he shoved his shoulder-length black hair out of his steel grey eyes. His motorcycle jacket suited him, despite his age- thirty-three- and his face held the never-ending joy of someone who had never quite grown up.

Sirius flicked his wand, and the door opened- Sirius had once told Harry that the Dursleys didn't like magic, so he liked to flaunt the fact that he had it. Harry suspected this need to do things that people he hated disapproved of was leftover from when Sirius lived with his parents.

They walked in, causing Aunt Petunia, who had just come out of the kitchen, to shriek in surprise and anger. "How- how _dare_ you use that vile- _thing_ , and charge in here uninvited-"

"How dare _you_ call Lily, one of the kindest souls who ever lived, a freak." Sirius shot back.

Petunia pursed her lips, but said nothing. "Vernon! They're here."

As if on cue, Uncle Vernon appeared in the doorway, in all his purple-faced glory. "Close that door, boy, before the neighbors see!"

Sirius' wand was out in an instant. "Call him by his name, or you and I will have a proper duel- whether it's a wizarding one or a Muggle one, I _will_ win. I'm in no mood to put up with your cruelty this time. If anything happens to Harry, you'll have me to answer to."

His face reaching formerly unheard-of shades of purple, Uncle Vernon nodded stiffly.

"Good." Sirius pocketed his wand. He turned to his godson. "If anything happens, Harry, contact me immediately, and don't leave anything out. Got it?"

Harry nodded. "Got it."

After one last hug with his godson, Sirius left. Uncle Vernon shut the door, and rounded on Harry. "Listen, boy," he snarled. "Marge is coming for a visit- there will be no _funny business,_ or you'll regret ever being born- I don't care what that godfather of yours says."

Harry nodded stiffly. "Fine. But if she-"

" _No buts!"_ Uncle Vernon roared.

Harry escaped upstairs into his room before his uncle could cause a real racket- one that would leave the neighbors more shocked than a flying motorbike. He unloaded his trunk and began to count down the days until he could be back with Sirius.

* * *

The next morning, Harry was watching the news as Aunt Petunia obsessively cleaned the already-spotless kitchen in anticipation of Aunt Marge's arrival. That's when the reporters began telling their viewers of an escaped convict. A murderer, they said. By the name of Remus Lupin. They showed his mug shot.

Lupin, to Harry at least, didn't look that dangerous. In fact, the man looked very normal- shaggy brown hair, a pale complexion. Only two things made the man different- three scars on his jaw that looked suspiciously like claw-marks, and the unusual color of his eyes- a bright amber. Those eyes didn't look evil or even angry to Harry. On the contrary, they looked very kind. In the mug shot, however, the man, though he tried to hide it, looked absolutely terrified.

"- _would like to remind everyone that this man is extremely dangerous_." the woman on the screen was saying. " _If seen, do not approach, I repeat, DO NOT APPROACH him alone. Call the number below if you have sighted him, or have any information of his whereabouts_."

"Don't need her to tell us he's no good." grunted Uncle Vernon. "Look at the state of him!"

Harry knew his uncle had been talking about the worn and threadbare state of Lupin's clothes, and felt another surge of pity for the man on the television. Something in Lupin's eyes convinced Harry that he was innocent, despite the fact that he had no idea what the charges were against him.

* * *

Remus Lupin stood in his old childhood home, attempting to warm himself from the chill outside. The house had been abandoned years ago, luckily for Remus. He walked into his old room, and stared at the pictures stuck on the wall. With haunted eyes, he looked at one of the four of them. James. Sirius. Himself. And _him_.

"Ah, Wormtail," he whispered hoarsely. Tears pricked at his eyes. "Why did you have to shatter the broken man?"

Suddenly, a suffocating fear gripped him. He gasped, and doubled over. He was terrified. He could hear Harry's screams. He could see Sirius's horrified face. He saw Lily, lifeless on the ground. He saw James, his eyes horribly blank. He could hear Peter. _Lily and James, Remus. How could you?_ He could see the flash of green light, the thumps as bodies hit the ground. He could feel the Aurors hands on him. But most of all, he could hear himself, whispering. _I don't regret a thing_. He had meant that, even though he'd be locked away in Azkaban, he didn't regret going after Peter. He didn't regret loving Harry, Lily, James, and Sirius. He didn't regret knowing them. But the Aurors- and the rest of the wizarding world- thought he meant killing thirteen Muggles (which he hadn't done), killing Peter (he was in rat form), and betraying Lily and James to Voldemort (he'd have rather died).

Now, finally out of Azkaban, Remus suffered from these panic attacks. He relived every terrible memory, even without the Dementors' help. As a werewolf, he had quite a few terrible memories.

He controlled the fear. He knew he was slowly going insane, but as a werewolf, he knew how to control his fear and pain. He was stronger than anyone had ever given him credit for. He'd find Harry and protect him from Peter, if it killed him.

He owed it to James and Lily.

Remus recalled that fateful day in Azkaban, when he had found Peter.

 _He had been sitting against one of the walls in his cell. All the bars in Azkaban were silver- it was just unfortunate that he was a werewolf. His cell was located underground, where no sunlight could reach. Sometimes the cell flooded six inches or so- Remus was constantly cold and wet. The first time the water came in he was beyond terrified, because in the darkness he was not aware it was water, or that it would stop rising._

 _A wand light appeared, taking the werewolf by surprise. It grew brighter, indicating that whoever the owner was was coming his way. A few Aurors approached slowly. Remus recognized Mad-Eye Moody._

 _Help. Remus wanted to say. You knew me. Would I have betrayed them?_

 _But Mad-Eye sneered at him as he passed. Remus cast his gaze upon the other Aurors. He recognized John Dawlish, having gone to school with him. The Marauders hadn't really liked the man. He was a follower- there was hardly an independent thought in his head. Remus sucked in a breath, however, when he saw their third member- Kingsley Shacklebolt- another former classmate of Remus'. Kingsley had been a year under Remus. Remus used to tutor him in Transfiguration. Remus leaned forward. Kingsley and a young witch with pink hair were standing slightly apart from Dawlish, Moody, and, Remus realized, the Minister- was that Cornelius Fudge?_

" _Kingsley," Remus breathed. His voiced cracked, having not used it for longer than he knew. Tears pricked his eyes. He wanted out of here. Whatever wrong he had done, he had spent enough time in Azkaban to right it! He'd never hurt Lily or James. Someone needed to know. Louder, he whispered, "Kingsley."_

 _Kingsley jumped a foot into the air, whipping around to face Remus. "Who- how do you know me?" Kingsley demanded quietly, not wanting his superiors to know what he was doing. The witch, however, was listening. Remus didn't care._

" _It's me. Remus."_

 _Kingsley's eyes hardened. "Lupin. Don't speak to me, you monster."_

 _Remus brushed aside the words. He'd been called worse. "I need you to give a message to Sirius."_

 _The witch snarled. "You filthy- you don't deserve to say his name!"_

 _Kingsley's eyes narrowed. "Quiet, Tonks. Why should I help you? Harry is an orphan because of you."_

 _Remus, however, was now looking at the witch with interest. "Tonks? Nymphadora? Andromeda and Ted's daughter? The last time I saw you, you were knee height."_

" _You... met me?" Tonks looked momentarily thrown off guard._

 _Kingsley cleared his throat. "Leave her alone, Lupin. What do you want?"_

" _I want you to deliver a message."_

" _Not for you, I won't."_

" _You're an Auror, right? You need to pass a Transfiguration exam to become an Auror. Would you have been able to pass it without my help?"_

 _Kingsley was silent._

 _Remus nodded. "In return for all those lessons, I ask you give Sirius one message. It's not coded. It's very short and straight forward."_

 _Kingsley sighed. "What's the message?"_

 _Remus licked his lips. "Messr. Moony would like to inform Messr. Padfoot that Messr. Wormtail is a rat. If Cornelius' paper is anything to go by, he's at Hogwarts. At Hogwarts with Messr. Prongs' son. If Messr. Padfoot won't save him, Messr. Moony will."_

 _Kingsley blinked. "You said it wasn't coded."_

" _It wasn't."_

 _Tonks looked shaken. "He's insane, Kingsley. Don't do it."_

 _Remus' eyes widened. "You promised you'd give it to him. Sirius will understand, even if you don't."_

 _Kingsley nodded. "I'll pass it on. I'm not sending you any sort of word though. This is it. I'll never see you again."_

" _That," Remus said softly. "Depends on whether my mistress becomes my only prison. It depends on whether the dog catches the rat- or if the wolf will have to do so."_

" _Your mistress?" Tonks asked sharply. "Who?"_

 _Remus looked her straight in the eye. "Why, the moon, of course."_


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hey, y'all- hope you liked the last chapter. I just HAD to bring Kingsley into this- I don't know why, but he's one of my favorite characters. By the way, in this story Kingsley was not originally in the Order. Anyway, I hope you guys like where this is going. Feel free to ask any questions you might have, and be sure to check out my profile page- I've posted a poll there.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 3:**

Sirius was sitting moodily in the apartment he shared with Harry, in a Muggle area. Even though Number 12, Grimmauld Place had been left to him, he had no desire to ever step foot into that house again- he'd be damned if let Harry get within thirty feet of the place. He had also wanted Harry to grow up surrounded with different kinds of people- hence, the Muggle neighborhood. But he and Harry visited Godric's Hollow, Diagon Alley, and, as of recently, the Burrow to ensure Harry had grown up in a magical atmosphere. Not to mention that Sirius couldn't cook or clean the Muggle way to save his life- no, he was fairly sure that Harry had been exposed to quite a bit of magic before going to Hogwarts.

Now, the reason Sirius was brooding at the moment was because of Harry. Well, the Dursley's. Sirius would spend the next few days counting down the hours until he could rescue his godson from their evil clutches. He hated leaving Harry there, but if Dumbledore said it was for his safety... well, Sirius supposed that he could give up Harry for a little while.

He expected this week to go like all the others had- him glaring at the walls, waiting silently until he could get Harry, then take the boy to play Quidditch, or do something else that was distinctly magical.

He was not expecting a visitor.

Kingsley Shacklebolt, whom Sirius had not seen since graduating Hogwarts, Apparated directly into his sitting room.

Sirius cocked an eyebrow. "Y'know, Shacklebolt, it would have been more polite to knock."

Kingsley turned. "Sorry, Sirius. But- I've just come from Auror duties, and- and I was asked to deliver a message. I just want to get this over with."

Sirius frowned. "What Auror business has you looking so shaken? And who's the message from?"

Kingsley appeared not to have heard him. "I don't know what the message means- he said it wasn't coded, that you'd know what it meant-"

"Kingsley." Sirius interrupted. "Tell me. Where were you? Who's this message from?"

Kingsley looked distinctly uncomfortable. "I've come from Azkaban. It's from Remus Lupin."

Sirius' blood went cold. "And just what," he growled, making Kingsley flinch. "Does that filthy, _traitor-_ " he spat out the word. "-want?"

Kingsley took a deep breath, and recited the message. " _Messr. Moony would like to inform Messr. Padfoot that Messr. Wormtail is a rat. If Cornelius' paper is anything to go by, he's at Hogwarts. At Hogwarts with Messr. Prongs' son. If Messr. Padfoot won't save him, Messr. Moony will."_

Kingsley looked at Sirius warily. "Any ideas?"

Sirius' mind was whirling. _Messr. Wormtail is a rat. At Hogwarts with Messr. Prongs' son. Messr. Padfoot. Messr. Moony. If Messr. Padfoot won't save him, Messr. Moony will_.

But Peter was dead. All that was left was a finger. And Sirius already knew that Peter was a rat. His name was Wormtail, for goodness' sake! And what did Sirius need to save Harry from? What did Remus want to save him from- why would he want to save Harry from anything? Why send this message now? What did Fudge's paper have to do with anything? What kind of paper? A scrap of parchment? Or a-

"Was Fudge holding a newspaper?" Sirius asked abruptly.

Kingsley looked surprised. "Yes- this morning's copy, I think. But what has that got to do with anything?"

But Sirius had already taken that morning's _Daily Prophet_ out of the rubbish bin. There was a big picture of the Weasleys on the front. The only rat in the whole edition was Ron's pet rat- Scooty, or Scatters, or something. A rat- with a toe missing.

Sirius shook his head. Wishful thinking.

But what else could Remus' message mean?

Then it hit him. Remus was in _Azkaban_ , for Merlin's sake. Had been for the last twelve years. His mind was probably long gone- he had most likely seen the rat in the paper and had had some half-there memory surface of Peter as a rat. This was just an insane man who barely remembered his friends, and vaguely remembered that Harry had been in danger. This was just a part of Remus resurfacing- back when he still worked for the Order, before his Death Eater days. The thought was both comforting and terrifying.

Sirius sighed. "Kingsley- I more or less know what he's trying to say, but this- this is most likely an insane man's ramblings. Before his Death Eater days, he knew Harry was in danger- he's so far gone that he must think he's still back there. Peter's Patronus was a rat- Lupin probably saw Ron's rat in the paper and was reminded of that. As to why he thought Harry and Peter were at Hogwarts, I've no idea. He's just insane. He must think he's still innocent."

Kingsley looked deeply unsettled, and highly doubtful. "That's the thing, Sirius," he said in his low, deep voice. "I walked by every prisoner in that place- and Lupin's eyes... those were not the eyes of an insane man. They were clear. They recognized me. He remembered how he used to help me out in Transfiguration at school. Your cousin was there- Tonks. He recognized her name, knew her parents. Recalled meeting her. Those eyes were clear. They were haunted, definitely- but I'm nearly positive that his mind has stayed intact all these years."

"That's impossible." Sirius whispered. "Dementors swarm that place- and Re- I mean, Lupin's got worse memories than most. There's no way he's still sane. I can't be there an hour before I start hearing the ghosts from my past!"

Kingsley looked grim. "Lupin's managed it."

Sirius wanted to protest, but, deep down, he wasn't surprised to hear it. If anyone was strong enough to stay sane after that long in Azkaban, it was Remus Lupin. Sirius had never known someone as unshakable as that man. But if Remus was still sane...

What did that mean for Harry?

The next morning, Remus Lupin escaped from Azkaban.

* * *

Harry was fuming as he pulled his trunk away from Number 4, Privet Drive. How dare that woman say those things about his parents! She had no right! She deserved what she got, she honestly did. Wait till Sirius heard about-

Harry froze. It was the middle of the night, and only a day after Sirius had dropped him off at the Dursleys'. Sirius wouldn't be expecting him for another five days, and there was _no way_ Harry was going back to the house to owl him.

Sighing, Harry sat on his trunk, putting his head in his hands. To top everything off, he'd probably be expelled for doing underage magic...

"Hello, there."

Harry turned to face whoever had spoken, squinting in the dark. He could just make out a thin figure, but nothing more than that. Despite the fact that it was the middle of the night, and that this stranger was clearly talking to him, Harry did not feel afraid. The voice had been hoarse and soft- but it felt familiar. Like he had heard it before. It put him at ease, instead of on edge.

"Er- hullo?" he tried.

A soft chuckle from the stranger. "Nice night, isn't it? I don't think I'll ever tire of the stars. How about you, Harry?"

The fact that the stranger knew his name did not make Harry suspicious. It merely confirmed the his belief that the man was a wizard- a wizard who recognized the Boy Who Lived. "They're nice, I s'pose."

"What's bothering you?"

For the first time since encountering this man, Harry was caught off guard. "What d'you mean? I'm fine."

"No, you're not." The man said it so confidently- and he sounded so sincere that Harry found himself caving in.

"Sometimes I hate my family. They hate me. They insulted my dead parents. My parents died to save me."

Harry was fairly sure that the man was nodding. "That was wrong of them. Are you lost?"

Harry's shoulders slumped. "I don't have anywhere to go."

"Ah," the man said softly. "That is something I can understand. But I have found that help can come from the most unexpected of people- even former enemies. Home, however- home is wherever the people we care most about are. But if you are in need of shelter- simply light your wand tip, and stick up at the sky. This will signal the Knight Bus, and you'll be able to ride it to any destination you please, for a small fee. I suggest the Leaky Cauldron. You'll be able to contact your godfather there."

Harry grinned at this excellent piece of advice, and hurriedly followed it. He didn't doubt this man- he trusted him. He was familiar, though the memory was out of his reach. Sort of like the way he could remember a bleary image of his father's glasses glinting, or how he somehow knew that his mother smelled like lemon and sage without having to be told.

"Thank you," he said earnestly. He hesitated, but he really wanted the answer, so he asked his question. "How long has it been since you've been home?"

The stranger sounded wistful. "About twelve to thirteen years, I believe."

Harry meant it when he said, "I hope you find it soon."

The stranger's voice sounded deeply touched. "Why, thank you, Harry."

A low rumbling sounded, and the darkness grew brighter. "The Knight Bus," the stranger explained. As the bus approached, light flashed across the man's face, illuminating it- and allowing Harry to see haunted eyes, a gaunt face, and three scars.

 _Lupin_.

Harry was still unable to feel frightened.

With a small smile, Lupin disappeared, and that was when the Knight Bus hit the ground.

* * *

Harry was standing before a pacing Sirius in a small room in the Leaky Cauldron. His long black hair was whipped about every time he turned, his steel gray eyes glinting.

"Er- Sirius?"

"Not now, Harry- I'm trying to figure out what Lupin wanted to tell me."

Harry's brows raised in surprise. "Lupin contacted you? Why?"

Sirius stopped to look at Harry warily. "He was warning me of something, I think- the problem is, I don't know if he's the threat or not."

Harry shook his head. "I don't think so."

Sirius looked at him sharply. "What makes you say that?"

Harry hesitated. He'd never kept anything from his godfather before, but something told him to keep his meeting with Lupin a secret- at least until Sirius would be more open to hearing something in Lupin's favor. "I saw his picture on the Muggle news. He didn't look like a killer- he seemed scared, actually."

Sirius sighed. "Harry, Lupin is not a good man. Clever, yes. Dangerous, definitely. Good? I used to think so. But somewhere along the road, he went bad."

Harry's eyes widened. "You used to think so? Did you know him well?"

Sirius seemed to be having an internal struggle. Finally, he reached into his coat pocket, and withdrew a small scrap of paper. As Sirius unfolded it, however, Harry realized that it wasn't paper- it was a photo. Sirius handed it to him.

Harry held it in his hands reverently. There were four boys in Hogwarts uniforms smiling in it- he easily recognized Sirius and his father. But there were two other boys-

"Peter Pettigrew," Sirius supplied, pointing a pudgy boy with blond hair and watery blue eyes. "And- and Remus Lupin." he spat.

Harry studied Lupin. He was less scarred, his eyes a warm amber. He looked happy and at peace with his friends. Harry felt as though he knew that smile.

"Sirius," Harry began carefully, still staring at the photo. "When you said he was a bad man... I saw the _Daily Prophet_. Did you say that he was bad because he was a werewolf?"

Sirius went so still, it scared Harry. "No," breathed Sirius, his eyes distant. "Never because he's a werewolf. Never. He tried so hard to beat that stereotype, and no one ever gave him a chance! He-" confusion flitted across Sirius' aristocratic features. Seemingly having forgotten that Harry was present, he murmured, "Why would he- ? If he never wanted- ? Merlin's beard, I just don't know anymore…"

Harry waited, but Sirius seemed lost in thought. Finally, the thirteen-year-old cleared his throat. "I don't know what he supposedly did, but I think he's innocent."

At first, Sirius looked angry. Then his shoulders slumped in exhaustion. He looked defeated. "Harry, listen to me- what Lupin did was unforgivable. He- he betrayed everyone. He worked for Voldemort- you said you read Stan's paper. He's evil, Harry. I know he seemed innocent in the mug-shot, maybe, but he's as far as you can get from innocence. Trust me, Harry. I know."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey, y'all.**

 **Thanks to everyone who reviewed, followed, and favorited- this chapter is for you guys. ;) Please let me know if you have any questions concerning plot, setting, or characters- sometimes I forget that what's clear to me is not clear to everyone else. And remember- feedback is always appreciated.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 4:**

Remus wrapped the thin blanket more tightly around his skeletal shoulders. He'd enjoyed seeing Harry, but the hunger was beginning to get to him. He was currently in the old Lupin household, struggling to keep warm. It wouldn't be long before the Aurors looked here- assuming Sirius gave them the address- and he knew he'd have to find a different shelter soon. Remus knew that before he could find the rat, he needed to procure a wand, but he was having trouble figuring out how.

To distract himself from his many troubles, Remus replayed his conversation with Harry over in his head. _I hope you find it soon_. The boy was wise beyond his years- Remus could only hope that whatever had happened to the poor boy hadn't been as scarring as Azkaban.

 _Azkaban_. The word brought terrible memories of screams, and pain, and _blood_. In Azkaban, the only thing the Dementors couldn't take away was the fact that he was innocent. He knew it. Peter knew it. James and Lily had known it. No one else did.

Remus drew his knees against his chest as his breath hitched. He bit down on his lip, drawing blood. He was shaking, but memories were flitting through his mind, making him unaware of everything except Azkaban. The screams of insane prisoners. The weeping of minds lost. The roaring of the waves crashing against the walls of the prison. The garbled melody that one of the prisoners always sang, growing weaker and weaker, until one night, not even Remus' werewolf hearing could pick it up. The icy water creeping up his calves, chilling him to the bone. The crazed laughter that one prisoner would start, then others would take it up- until the whole building was ringing with the unnatural sound. In Remus' darkest moments, he would join them.

Oh, yes. Remus was losing his mind. The thought made him giggle, despite the panic-attack.

Struggling to get a grip on reality (and his sanity), Remus pressed his hands to his thighs, focusing on controlling his breathing. Slowly, his heartbeat returned to normal. Remus lifted his head, exhausted. It was moments like these when he wanted to give up. He closed his eyes, but a tear escaped nonetheless. It was so hard to keep going when his mind was fracturing. It was getting harder to remember things. It was getting harder to stay focused. The worst part was, Remus didn't know how to get better. He used to pride himself on knowing the answers. But real life was very different from a Transfiguration exam.

Remus looked out the window, at the rising sun. A new day was dawning. Remus' brow furrowed in determination. A new day was dawning, and Remus Lupin was ready to face it head-on.

* * *

Sirius watched Harry board the train with the same thought he had at the beginning of every Hogwarts term. _This should be James instead of me_.

He was trying. Merlin, he was trying to keep Prongs' son safe. He'd die before he let anything happen to Harry. He bit his lip as he recalled the Hogsmeade permission slip he had signed, despite the fact that Lupin was on the loose. Had that been the right thing to do? It could be dangerous, but refusing Harry that bit of fun- _that_ wouldn't be right, he reasoned. If he worried constantly about possible dangers to Harry, then the poor kid would never leave the house. He just hoped Prongs would agree.

Sirius walked swiftly out of King's Cross Station, his cloak billowing out behind him. He made his way to the Apparation Point, and Disapparated to his apartment. Once there, he stormed into his kitchen, and grabbed a butterbeer. He wanted something stronger, but he knew that he should keep all his wits about him if he wanted to figure out Re- _Lupin's_ message.

He contemplated all the possible meanings. On one hand, Lupin could be saying that he'd save Harry from the rat- but when had Peter ever been a danger to Harry? So, this was not some half-there memory that an insane man was rambling about. Then- what? Was Harry really in danger? Was Lupin right? Sirius, coming to a decision, Flooed to Moody's office.

Moody lept up from his desk, his wand pointing threateningly at Sirius' chest. Once he recognized Sirius, however, he lowered it. "Black!" he barked. "You can't just come in here uninvited! What if you had been a Death Eater, hmm? I could have Stunned you-"

"Oh, don't be so paranoid, Mad-Eye." Sirius waved the older man's words away. "Besides, the Death Eaters haven't made an appearance in nearly thirteen years-"

"- Voldemort's not gone, I don't care who calls me batty-"

"-and you told me to come here if there was ever an emergency." Sirius bit his lip, looking at the old man who had fought by his side in the Order during the war. "It's about- Lupin. I need to research his case. Something's come up- it might change, well, everything. Did you oversee his case? I- I didn't attend the trial. It was- to hard."

Moody looked down, looking uncharacteristically... lost. Defeated. "No," he said softly. "I was too emotionally involved in the case to judge it fairly." Moody's eyes met Sirius'. "I thought Lupin was a good man. I cared an awful lot about him. Even in light of what he did- I'd have tried to get him off, back then. Never good to be too emotionally involved."

Sirius nodded. "I understand. I felt the same way. But- can you get the files on his case?"

Moody nodded tersely. He left the office, promising to come back as soon as he had something. It was an hour before he returned, grumbling about incompetent newbies.

Sirius jumped to his feet. "Find anything?"

Moody held up a manilla folder with the words, "Lupin, Remus John- Werewolf". Sirius held his hands out expectantly, but Mad-Eye snatched it away from him. "You can take this home, Black, but the second the Department needs it, whether you've read the whole thing or not-"

"I know. Give it back. Got it." Sirius interrupted.

Mad-Eye chuckled. "Alright, Black. Here." Moody handed the file over. Sirius held it tightly, his hands trembling slightly. This was it. Once he got home, he'd relive the night he'd tried so hard to forget the pain of.

He thanked Moody and Disapparated, straight into his kitchen. Sirius sat down at the table, the file sitting innocently in front of him. This was it. By opening this file, he would finally see the evidence that had condemned Remus. By opening this file, he could fully understand exactly what had happened that terrible day. By opening this file, he could see whether there was a piece of the puzzle only he would have been able to find.

By opening this file, he could see whether his cowardice had imprisoned an innocent man.

The pieces were swimming around in Sirius' brain. _Twelve muggles dead. One finger left of Peter Pettigrew. Lily and James dead._ One a traitor. One innocent. Moony or Wormtail?

For so long, he'd been sure it had been Moony. The Ministry wouldn't have made such a huge mistake, right? Right?

But Harry's words kept coming back to him. _I think he's innocent_. And something else Harry had said on the platform- _those aren't the eyes of a murderer_.

But one of them had betrayed Lily and James. One of them was a murderer. Sirius wondered, if he could see Peter right now, would his eyes reflect the very things they had fought against? Remus' didn't. They were the same as they had been- just sadder.

Sirius stared at the file. Had refusing to participate in the case cost his friend his freedom? Sirius picked up the file.

And put it on the counter.

 _Sirius Black_ , he thought bitterly. _You really are a coward_.

* * *

"Wait, wait, wait." Ron shook his head. "Lupin's after _you?_ Specifically?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. " _Honestly_ , Ronald. That's what he said." She turned to Harry, her eyes clouded with worry. "What are you going to do?"

The three of them were sitting in their compartment on the Hogwarts Express. Harry had just filled them in that apparently, according to Sirius, Lupin might be after him. He had not, however, informed them of the fact that he had had a rather pleasant conversation with the man, in complete privacy, and Lupin had given no sign of aggression. He bit his lip, debating on how much to tell them. Finally, he just said, "Supposedly, he's after me. But I'm not entirely convinced that he's a bad person."

Ron ogled at him. "But he's a _werewolf_."

Hermione rounded on him so quickly, Harry was afraid she'd fall over. " _Yes_ , Ron, he is, but since I'm a Muggleborn, does that mean I'm _impure?_ " she asked hotly.

Ron's eyes widened. "Of course not! But- ah, I see your point…"

He still didn't look entirely convinced, but Harry knew that it must be hard to see this side of things when Ron had been told the opposite his entire life. So, very carefully, Harry said, "Sirius always told me that we should judge everyone- no matter blood-status or race- by their character. Like what Hermione said- she's not unworthy, just because she doesn't have any magical parent. Or my being a Parselmouth. Or like you," Harry grinned. "You're not a stuck-up git, despite being a pure-blood."

Ron grinned a bit sheepishly. "Yeah, you're right, mate. I suppose it's stupid to believe that _every_ werewolf's bad."

Hermione nodded. "Yes, it is."

"Anyway," Harry said. "I don't know what Lupin was charged with, but- something tells me he's innocent."

Hermione frowned. "Harry-"

"I know what you're thinking." Harry interrupted calmly. "But I have this _feeling_. Don't forget- every time I feel like this, I'm right-"

"Or You-Know-Who gets involved." mumbled Ron.

"- like- well, yeah, Ron. Voldemort gets involved." he ignored their winces at the name. "But I know I'm right about Lupin. He seems- it's like I've seen him before." Harry admitted. "I trust him."

"You _trust_ him?" Hermione squawked incredulously. "Why?"

Reluctantly, Harry told them of his conversation with Lupin.

"Blimey," Ron breathed. He looked strangely excited. "Maybe Lupin was framed-"

"Ron! If he was framed, then an innocent man went insane in Azkaban. Listen, Harry, I've read about Azkaban- it's nearly impossible to stay sane there. And for someone who's been in there as long as Lupin- forget it."

Harry looked at her levelly. "Or maybe, Hermione, Lupin's a bloke who can beat those odds."


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey y'all. What's up? How are you feeling about the story so far? Love it? Hate it? Want more of a certain character? Tell me, please.**

 **So, I'm thinking of hinting at a little Remus/Tonks. Opinions?**

 **I hope this chapter's alright. I've had a bit of writer's block- I couldn't get the scenes right. Hope this pleases you. And thanks to everyone who reviewed!**

 **Enjoy!**

Remus sat on the porch of his old childhood home. He was watching the sunrise, completely and totally enraptured. It had been so long since he'd seen the sunrise. He felt tears prick his eyes. So far, the wind, stars, grass, and sun had moved him to tears. How anyone could take those things for granted, he had no idea. It amazed him that he had taken those things for granted at one time, too. He breathed in the sweet country air. Maybe here, one day, he could learn to be at peace again.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Mr. Remus-I-escaped-from-Azkaban-Lupin."

Remus whipped around, his heart in his mouth.

There stood the pink-haired Auror, Nymphadora Tonks. She was alone. But she had a wand pointed threateningly at his chest.

Trying to calm himself, and attempting not to look frightened, Remus gave her a weak smile. "Ah, my dear Miss Tonks. How may I help you today? And Remus is fine."

She walked closer, something he couldn't name glinting in her eyes. "Well, _Lupin_ , you can answer some questions for me, for a start."

"I'd be delighted to. If you answer mine in return, of course. Ask away."

She didn't say anything, glaring at him.

He shrugged. "Shall I start then? How did you find me? I was careful."

She narrowed her eyes. "Metamorphmagus, remember? I figured you'd head for a small town. I looked into old records and found out you used to live here. All the senior Aurors told me that it was too obvious, but you and I both know- obvious can provide the best cover. I came here on a hunch, and I saw you in town yesterday. Fortunate, isn't it, that this is a Muggle town where most of the inhabitants are too poor for a television? You were walking by the lake. You ran your fingers through the grass and cried. I watched you in disguise." She hesitated, looking unsure about something. "Why- why were you crying?"

He tilted his head, wondering what kind of answer she was looking for. "I missed it."

Tonks blinked. "It? Not them?"

Remus sucked in a breath. "Of course I miss them. But I know I can't get them back. I was talking about about the grass."

Tonks frowned. "You were crying- over grass?"

Remus nodded. "Such a simple pleasure. Yet so underappreciated. I-" he faltered, feeling a bit foolish. He had, after all, been moved by _grass_. "I have always treasured the little things life has to offer. Never thought I'd miss grass, though. Well. You never know what you'll miss until you don't have it anymore."

Tonks' eyes widened slightly. She lowered her wand a fraction. Her shoulders slumped. "You're unlike any Death Eaters I've met- or heard of."

Remus furrowed his brow. "That's because I'm not."

Tonks rolled her eyes, bringing her wand back up. "Oh, cut the crap, Lupin, I know-"

"You do not know." Remus stated patiently. "You do not know what happened that night, twelve years ago. You were too young. You have heard stories, and twisted rumors. You do not remember me. You think you know my motives, what I've worked for, my reasons for doing things, but let me tell you this." He took a step towards her. "Only I know what was going through my mind that night. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a fool. I never wanted my life to become a- a soap opera for people who can't think of anything else to do than ruin someone else's life." He was not angry so much as anguished, and he knew Tonks could see that.

He took a deep breath and continued, in a softer tone. "You came here today, alone, because you were startled to discover that someone you had been taught to despise knew you as a child. You couldn't put the two images together. They didn't fit. So which one didn't exist? You came to find out. I have not run away. I am speaking to you now, unafraid, because I know you will _listen_. I do not know if you will believe. But for the first time since Lily and James were killed... someone is going to listen to me, and _then_ decide what to believe. You are not a prejudiced Ministry official. You are a young woman who wants to gether all the facts, not the rumors, before you pass your judgements. And for that, my dear Tonks, I applaud you."

Tonks stared at him in shock, her wand hanging uselessly at her side. "Bloody hell," she breathed. "That was- wow." She shook her head. "Not your typical Death Eater speech." Her eyes narrowed. "Show me your arm."

Remus frowned. "Pardon me?"

She grabbed his left arm and tugged the sleeve up to his elbow, her wand between her teeth. She scanned his forearm with her eyes, and then her wand clattered to the ground as her jaw dropped.

"There's no- there's no Dark Mark." she gasped.

Remus tilted his head. "No what?"

Her dark eyes met his. "That's right. You were in Azkaban when- you see, we found out that every Death Eater had the Dark Mark burned into their left forearm, a way of communicating with each other, or identifying one another. You can't be a Death Eater, you don't have one."

Remus sighed. "I do wish they had made that discovery before…" he trailed off.

Tonks looked determined. "We'll- we'll get your trial reopened, look at the case again-"

"You can't." he cut her off. "There- there was never a trial. I was just condemned."

Tonks looked surprised. "But- they can't do that."

Remus gave her a small, bitter, smile. "You'll find they don't care about the law so much when the defendant isn't considered human."

Tonks looked sick. "That's... awful."

"That's my life." Remus told her quietly. "And, as I said before, I don't regret a thing."

Tonks gazed at him, her eyes burning into his very soul. "What did you mean by that? You can tell me, you know- it may cost me my job and life as I know it, but... I believe you're innocent. Tell me."

Remus shook his head. "I gave Sirius all the information he needed. It's up to him to decide what to do with it. I know the two of you are family, but what happened that night- it has to do with the four of us, and if Sirius never came forward with certain information, then he must have a good reason. I won't jeopardize that."

Slowly, Tonks nodded. "So," she whispered. "How do we prove your innocence, Mr. Lupin? And how do we accomplish what you've come to do?"

Remus blinked. "We? Tonks, I cannot possibly ask you to aid me in this."

She jutted her chin out stubbornly. "You didn't ask. I offered, and I won't take no for an answer."

Remus sighed, but nodded. She'd be a valuable ally. If she double-crossed him-

Well. Then it was back to Azkaban.

"Well," Remus considered. "I am in need of a wand..."

Tonks smiled, her hair turning a violent shade of yellow. "Deal."


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey, y'all! Ready for chapter six? I'd love some feedback on chapter five- I know it was kind of short, but I needed Tonks to believe Remus... Btw, what Tonks is operating on now is gut feeling and instinct. As an Auror, she's told to always follow her instincts because, most of the time, they're right. That's what she's doing here. A little cousinly love awaits you in this chapter, so read on!**

 **Thanks to everyone who has reviewed/followed/favorited this story!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 6**

Nymphadora Tonks didn't know what she had gotten herself into. Two hours ago, she had hated Remus Lupin along with the rest of the wizarding world. But then she saw him moved to tears over grass- because he missed it, he had said simply. Then he entranced her with his dry humor and long, heartfelt speech about how people assumed they knew him based on the fact that he was a werewolf.

Tonks knew what it was like to be judged for something you couldn't help.

Being a Metamorphmagus, she often ran into people who called her a vain coward for "hiding how you really look"- until they learned that the only things she changed (unless she was undercover) were her hair and eye color. People liked to try and take advantage of her talents- like some of the previous men she'd dated. Tonks used to try and appease people, before McGonagall, though not her Head of House, took her aside and told her to be true to herself, and not try to be what everyone thought she should be. It had been hard at first, breaking out of that habit. But once she had, she gained people's respect. She was happier now. She knew where Lupin was coming from- it was hard to break out of a stereotype.

She couldn't imagine having to break out of a _werewolf_ stereotype.

He still hadn't.

Why did she trust him? The answer came easily enough. When he talked about his dead friends, the hurt in his eyes was genuine. You couldn't fake that pain. You just couldn't, no matter how good an actor you were. And she truly did believe he had spoken the truth about his trial. Now that she thought about it, a werewolf without a trial didn't seem that surprising.

But she was definitely having a look at his case file, just to check his story. Then she'd have a chat with her cousin- uncle- whatever Sirius was, to find out about this "extra information".

* * *

Sirius blinked at his brightly-colored cousin. Niece. Whatever. "Er- can I help you?"

Tonks drew herself up to her full height. Which didn't really compare to Sirius', but he admired her effort. "I want to look at Lupin's file."

His gaze hardened. "Goodbye." He closed the door.

She stuck her foot in the way. "Moody said you had it."

He sighed. "I do. But I'd rather not go tripping down memory lane just now."

Tonks glared at him. "Then don't. Just let me look at it."

No. Sirius didn't want this Auror coming in and looking before he was ready. He didn't want her to know what a coward he'd been. That maybe, just maybe, there was a chance he had ruined his friend's life. He couldn't face that. Tonks, her parents, and Harry were the only family he cared about disappointing. "No. I want to look at it. But it's too painful right now."

"Sirius!" Tonks shoved her way inside. She shut the door behind her. Then she rounded on him. "Why are you so afraid to let me see that file?"

Sirius scowled. "I'm not afraid. Nothing scares Sirius Bl-"

Tonks rolled her eyes. "Rubbish. You're terrified of being wrong. And of your family getting hurt. Own up to it. You just look like a git otherwise."

"I- I don't know what you're talking about. I'm not afraid of being wrong."

Tonks' eyes softened. "You know something about the case that no one else does, don't you? You're afraid that keeping that information to yourself doomed an innocent man."

Sirius felt as though she had knocked the breath from his lungs. "How- how did you- I never told anyone that!"

"I was there with Kingsley when Lupin gave the message." Tonks explained. "What- what does it mean?"

Sirius collapsed into an armchair, his head falling into his hands. "I don't know." he moaned. "Tonks, _I don't know_. Why can't my bloody ghosts just LEAVE ME ALONE?!"

Tonks jumped at his outburst. Sirius ignored her and kept going. "First my best mate and his wife are brutally murdered. Then, I have to come to terms with the fact that someone betrayed them. Moony, Wormtail, or Padfoot? It wasn't Padfoot! That's all I know for sure! I'd _never_ betray them! So who was it? Moony or Wormtail? Wormtail is just a finger now, but Wormtail's a rat, and there's a rat with a toe missing at Hogwarts! Besides- did they even bother to collect solid evidence against Moony? I don't know! Now I don't know who I should have told. I just want this business behind me! I want to _know_ , once and for all, who killed them."

Tonks was silent. Finally, she said, "That was difficult to follow, but- Peter Pettigrew is Wormtail? You are Padfoot? Lupin is Moony? Does that mean James Potter was Prongs?"

Sirius sighed. "Yeah."

Tonks' brow furrowed. She was obviously thinking hard. Sirius considered saying _don't hurt yourself_ , but decided against it. Tonks asked, "What was the message again?"

Sirius gulped. " _Messr. Moony would like to inform Messr. Padfoot that Messr. Wormtail is a rat. If Cornelius' paper is anything to go by, he's at Hogwarts. At Hogwarts with Messr. Prongs' son. If Messr. Padfoot won't save him, Messr. Moony will._ "

The silence that followed was deafening. Finally, Tonks broke it. "It sounds to me like Lupin thinks Pettigrew is a threat to Harry and is at Hogwarts." She sounded disappointed. "I guess he really is insane, huh? Pettigrew is dead."

Sirius stared at the floor. "Not necessarily." he whispered. "But I'll never know for sure unless I read that file."

Tonks frowned. "Then read it."

"But if I'm right," Sirius said shakily. "If I'm right, then one of my best friends spent the last twelve years in Hell, with the whole world hating him, when he worked _so hard_ to prove that he was a good man."

Tonks put a hand on Sirius' shoulder. "But now you have the chance to save him."

Slowly, Sirius raised his head until his silver eyes met her chocolate ones. "Let's get that file."

* * *

The two of them sat at the kitchen table, two untouched mugs of coffee between them.

Tonks looked at him seriously, gesturing to the unopened file in front of him. "All you have to do is lift the little flap-"

"Ha. Ha. Please don't turn this into a joke." he begged.

Her gaze hardened. "Open it, Sirius. It's time you knew the truth."

Sirius opened the file.

" _Remus John Lupin_ ," he read aloud. " _Sentenced to a lifetime in Azkaban for the death of twelve Muggles and one wizard, by the name of Peter Pettigrew. Werewolf. Eyewitness Elena Paige (Muggle) describes event. 'There were two men, one tall, one short. The tall one looked angry, and sad, I think. The short one shouted, 'Lily and James, Remus! How could you?'. The tall one answered him, but I couldn't hear what he said. Then they were both reaching into their coats- it was horrible. Green light s-suddenly burst forth from between the two men, and then everyone was dead- the short one disappeared. Then you lot showed up.' Conclusion: Werewolf Lupin charged with murders of Peter Pettigrew and twelve muggles, assistance in the murders of James and Lily Potter, and assistance in the attempted murder of Harry Potter._ That's- that's all it says."

Tonks' eyes were wide. "So- your information... Pettigrew could still be alive?"

"They never found out who drew their wand." breathed Sirius. "They thought that the fact that Peter was gone meant that he was dead- this changes everything."

"I don't understand."

Sirius looked at her, his whole body trembling. "Peter, James, and I- we became unregistered Animagi in our 5th year to help Remus during his transformations. Ron Weasley- Harry's best mate- has a pet rat that has a toe missing- Peter's Animagus form is a rat. The Weasleys were in the paper, the one Remus saw. All that was left of Peter was a finger. If Peter cast the curse, and transformed, cutting off his finger, then all the evidence would be stacked against Remus, and the little traitor could go into hiding as a rat, with a wizarding family. It all fits! Peter always needed powerful friends- he was bullied a bit, in school. He needed protection. Remus spent his whole life in fear that someone would discover his condition. He never wanted attention or power- I can't believe I ever thought... And Lily and James. They asked me to be Secret-Keeper, but I refused, thinking that I was too obvious. I always thought they had chosen Remus- Merlin knew he could keep a secret. Maybe they did ask him. Maybe he was thinking along the same lines as I was- maybe they chose Peter!"

Tonks was staring at the file in disbelief. "Merlin... This is bigger than anything I've ever come across before. This is huge! We have to find a way to prove Remus is innocent!"

"He _might_ be." Sirius reminded her. "But it's easy enough to find out- we just have to grab Ron's rat, and try to force him out of his Animagus form- if he's really just a rat, it won't hurt him. If it's Peter, then... we have our answer."

Tonks stood up. "Well then," she chirped. "We're off to Hogwarts to get a rat. We leave in three days, got it? And we do this undercover- neither the Auror Department nor Dumbledore can know about this- they'll try to talk us out of it. Harry can't know either- it'll just upset him."

Sirius nodded. "Two days. Got it. I can search the castle as Padfoot at night, hide out in the Forest during the day."

Tonks agreed. "And I can disguise myself as a student, for day or night searches when I can get away from the office."

Sirius grinned. "Operation-Is-Remus-Innocent is a go. Merlin, I feel like a Marauder again!"


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey, y'all! Welcome back for chapter seven! Thanks to everyone who reviewed/favorited/followed this story. Sorry for any typos- I do my best to catch them all, but nobody's perfect... So, feedback is greatly appreciated, check out the poll on my profile, and tell me if you think I should hint at Lupin/Tonks. I value every opinion! ;)**

 **Also, if you have read the Percy Jackson series and ship Solangelo half as passionately as my awesome twin sister, WhatComesFromWithin, then check out her story- Just Because You Feel It Doesn't Mean It's There.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 7**

Remus' toes curled as he slept on the old, worn-out mattress in his little hideout. He had washed most of his clothing in the lake nearby, and it was currently hanging in the kitchen drying. He had literally been in the same clothes for twelve years- and, as a werewolf, he hadn't been able to stand the smell of himself any longer. He had no idea how Tonks had been able to stand so close to him without gagging.

He stood up, and searched around in closets for any spare robes that may have been left behind- if his father had left the furniture, he might have left something Remus could wear. Finally, he found a worn green shirt of his father's that wasn't too moth-eaten. Remus tugged it on, and it hung awkwardly on his skeletal frame. It was too tight across his shoulders, but it was too large everywhere else. He sighed, knowing that before his Azkaban days, this shirt would have fit a lot better.

After a little more searching, he managed to find a pair of his old jeans, which ended above his ankles, and a set of blue dress robes that he had grown out of in 5th year. They fit better than the set from his 7th year did. He knew that the clothes didn't exactly work together, something that would have bothered him twelve years ago. But being in something _clean_ , that didn't smell like death, was so relieving that Remus didn't much care if the colors didn't match.

Remus walked, barefoot, around the house, limping heavily. During one of his transformations in Azkaban, he had nearly ripped off his leg at the knee, and the cramped quarters hadn't allowed it to heal properly. Remus was used to the ever-present throbs of pain, but walking on it, after over a decade of leaning against cell walls, made him feel as though someone was sticking a red-hot poker through his knee. He knew that it really _was_ bad, and that leaving it untreated now that it was back in use was a terrible idea, but Remus had few options. His muscles were weak from disuse, and as he struggled up the stairs, he panted, his stamina reduced to next-to-nothing.

Remus entered his old bedroom, leaning against the doorframe. He looked around at the blue walls, which had been painted when he was eleven. Much like he knew Sirius had when he was a teenager, Remus had plastered the area around the headboard of his bed with photographs. He doubted, however, that he had as many as Sirius did. He smiled softly, approaching one of his favorite photographs. In it, he and Sirius were laughing heartily as James was red in the face and apologizing profusely to an angry Lily Evans, whom he had just spilled his tea on. Peter was not in it- he had been holding the camera- and Remus liked it all the more for this reason.

Remus gazed at it intently, happily recalling that day. James had seemed like such an idiot at the time- pining after a woman who so obviously hating him, making a fool of himself in his quest for her love. It was that day, when James was too mortified to act like a git, that Lily realized he truly did like her, and wouldn't get bored with her after a date or two- that it wasn't about the adventure of getting her to say yes. Sirius and Remus had both thought it ridiculous that James hadn't given up on her- but look where it had gotten him- happily married, with a brilliant son... and dead.

Remus put the photo down sadly. No matter which memory he examined, anything having to do with Lily, James, Sirius, or Peter- which was most of them- always brought him back to his harsh reality. A reality filled with screams and betrayals, of heartache and misery. Of Azkaban and hatred.

Suddenly, Remus heard a crash, and heard someone utter a curse. He hobbled to the top of the stairs, his heart in his mouth. Who was it? The Aurors? Or-

"Wotcher, Remus! Where are you?"

He breathed a sigh of relief. _Tonks_.

"Up here," he croaked down to her. "I'm coming down; my knee's busted, it may take a minute..."

As he was awkwardly started down the stairwell, Tonks appeared at the bottom. She blinked. Bit her lip. Remus was concentrating on bringing his bad leg down to the next step, however, and didn't notice. He was gripping the banister so hard, his knuckles were white. "Do- do you need help?" she asked tentatively.

Remus glanced at her. While his pride was screaming that no, he did _not_ need help, he knee was telling him to _say yes already_ and _sit down_.

Finally, Remus looked at her and said. "I _can_ do it on my own. You're only helping to make it go a bit faster."

Tonks grinned at him knowingly, but didn't say anything, for which Remus was grateful. She climbed up the stairs and grabbed his bone-thin arm, draping it over her shoulders. She helped him down the stairs. Though his breathing was still labored from the effort, the tightness in his chest eased. Tonks helped him into the kitchen, and he sat down heavily, sighing in relief.

He looked at her a bit sheepishly. "Thank you."

Tonks patted his shoulder. "Of course."

"What was that crash?" Remus asked curiously.

Tonks went a bit pink. "I- erm- knocked over the umbrella stand."

Remus couldn't help it. He laughed. He knew it really wasn't that funny, but it was the most hilarious thing he had heard in over a decade, and so _normal_. He laughed and laughed, and it was the first time he had done so since he was twenty-one.

Tonks looked surprised, but then began to grin. "It really wasn't that funny."

This just made Remus laugh harder. "Yes- yes it was."

When he finally composed himself, Remus asked, "What brings you here, Tonks? I wasn't expecting you back so soon."

Tonks retrieved a bag she had set aside. "I brought supplies," she announced. "I also brought news, but that can wait a minute."

Remus took the bag and peered curiously inside. He grinned. _Soap_. And a toothbrush and toothpaste, and- Merlin, was that a _comb?_

Remus glanced up at her gratefully. "Thank you."

Tonks grinned. "Well, if you're going to shake off those bad memories, you should start with dressing like a free man. The whole 'fugitive' thing doesn't work for you."

Remus chuckled. "I quite agree."

Tonks began to unload the bag. "I bought clothes- I guessed at the sizes, sorry if they're wrong- and I got a razor to fix that sad excuse for a beard, and scissors to handle your hair- let's get started."

Remus blinked. "What, now?"

Tonks rolled her eyes. "Yes, now." She headed towards the door. "Shower, bathe, whatever- then get dressed. I'll check out the town, then come back in an hour and a half- be ready by then."

She shut the door behind her before he could respond. An hour and a half. That was plenty of time. He gathered up the supplies, and headed towards the well in the backyard. The house didn't have running water.

Oh, Remus was ready for a change.

* * *

When Tonks came back, Remus was sitting at the kitchen table, scissors in hand. He was wearing jeans- which fit much better than the other pair- and a red and black flannel shirt. His feet were still bare, but he didn't much care.

Tonks plucked the scissors from his hand. "I'll take those. How short do you want it to be?"

Remus scratched his freshly-shaven cheek. When he was younger, it always hung on the longer side, usually around his ears. It had never been as long as Sirius' (thank goodness) before he had been to Azkaban. Remus tugged on his too-long hair. He took a picture of himself and Sirius at age twenty. He liked to have a picture of his friends on him at all times- they reminded him of the "golden days". In this particular picture, he and Sirius were heading back to the flat they had shared after a tiring night of babysitting Harry- James had snapped the picture while they weren't looking. In it, Sirius was turning around to glare at James, while Remus turned to face him and laugh. It was a good memory. "Like this, I think." Remus answered in his quiet voice, handing Tonks the photo.

Tonks nodded. "Sorry if it's uneven. I'm not very good at this sort of thing."

Remus began to smile. "I don't mind. Besides, I'm sure James and Sirius gave me worse haircuts in our schooldays- pranks gone wrong, and potions exploding."

Tonks laughed. "Well, then. Here goes nothing."

* * *

Remus repeatedly ran his fingers through his newly-cut hair, gladly welcoming back the familiarity, as he had never gotten used to his long hair in Azkaban. He felt like a new man. No- he felt like himself again.

Tonks finished sweeping the severed locks out the door. "Well, then. Ready for the news I brought?"

He nodded, smiling kindly at her. She began. "I went to see Sirius-"

Remus panicked. "What? But he- he hates-"

"I didn't tell him I knew where you were- but we looked at your file together. I'm not sure why he had it, exactly, but I think some part of him at least wants to believe you're innocent. The two of us agreed to search Hogwarts for that rat- Sirius in his Animagus form, me as an undercover student- and we'll try to force the rat out of his Animagus form. Then we'll Veritaserum him, and you'll be a free man once more."

Remus blinked, slowly. "I don't care about being free. I just want Harry to be safe. If it's not enough evidence, or Cornelius refuses to see reason, the both of you must understand: I am prepared to die in that prison. I will be satisfied once Peter is locked away from Harry- I need nothing more."

Tonks looked at him carefully. "But you _want_ to be free."

"People want many things, Nymphadora." She glared at him. "But we almost never need even half of the things we long for."

Tonks bit her lip. "But you deserve to be free. You never deserved this!"

Amber eyes met dark blue. "Perhaps not. But perhaps I was the person strong enough to live through it and still bring Peter to justice. Or perhaps I just had the least to lose. Whatever the reason, whether I deserved this or not will not help me now. We must all make do with the cards fate deals us. I was just dealt a worse hand than most."

Tonks was silent for a long time. Finally, she whispered, "I understand. Just-" she took a deep breath. "Just because you don't need something doesn't mean it's wrong to long for it."

With those words she left, and Remus wondered if she knew exactly how long they would echo in his head.

 **A/N: Hey, y'all. Sorry for the wait- and the sad chapter. I know not a lot happened, but I have a mild case of writer's block, and school's been a killer... Hopefully you all have been having a better week. So, hope you enjoyed, leave a review, and let's all hope my creative juices get flowing soon.**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hey, y'all. I'm back for more! So... I hope this chapter is to your satisfaction, and all that. Back to Harry's point of view in this chapter. Tell me what you think, and thanks to everyone who reviewed/favorited/followed! Let's see if my writer's block is any better...**

 **Chapter 8**

It was two days later that Tonks brought Remus a wand.

* * *

Harry couldn't believe his misfortune. He had fainted on the train. _Fainted_.

And Draco Malfoy wouldn't let him forget it.

If he had to see Malfoy pretend to swoon in fear one more time, there'd be one less Malfoy in the world. When he had told Ron this, however, Ron had thought that that would be a good thing.

Sighing, Harry turned his attention back to the Transfiguration lesson. Professor McGonagall, strict as ever, had begun the lesson by reminding the class that they weren't to go near the Dementors that swarmed the school. Harry didn't know why they affected him more than others- all he knew was that it was an annoyance, and embarrassing. Not to mention, their newest Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was complete rubbish. Everything she knew, she had learned from _Lockhart-_ she made them read passages from his many books in place of textbooks. Yes, Professor Durham was, as Ron so affectionately called her, an absolute nutter. Hermione was despairing over their Defense education- she was afraid that, at this rate, they'd never be O.W.L.- ready by the time they reached 5th year. Harry was worried for different reason- should he have another run-in with Voldemort, he wanted a little more than _Expelliarmus_ at his disposal.

After successfully turning his teacup into a mouse, Harry followed Ron and Hermione out of the classroom. They were just turning around a corner when Malfoy shouted after them.

"Oi, Potter! Will I need to get Madame Pomfrey into the Great Hall for lunch? Don't want you to be overwhelmed by the crowd, after all!"

The Slytherins all guffawed, and Harry felt his face grow hot. Before he could retaliate, however, Ron did. "Stuff it, Malfoy! I heard you crying for mummy on the train!"

Malfoy's face twisted into a sneer. "If you want to talk about mothers, Weasley, we'll talk about yours. I saw her in the paper- tell me, is it just the picture, or is she always that dumpy?"

Ron and Harry both saw red. _No one_ insulted Mrs. Weasley. But before they could defend her honor, Hermione grabbed their arms. " _Don't_ ," she hissed at them. To Malfoy, she called, "Really, Malfoy, the best you can do is insult his mother? Not very original."

She began to drag them away, but Malfoy threw in one last taunt. "Oh, very good, Potter, Weasley- let the Mudblood save you."

The blood rushed through Harry's head as he tore himself away from Hermione and tackled Malfoy. He was vaguely aware of Ron doing the same beside him. All either of them knew was that it was high time Malfoy paid for all his wrongdoings-

"POTTER! WEASLEY! GET OFF MALFOY THIS INSTANT!"

Harry loved Professor McGonagall, but did she always have to come two minutes too late?

"Detention in my office tonight at six, Potter, Weasley. Don't look so smug, Malfoy, you'll be joining them."

Of course, Professor McGonagall was able to see the fault of both parties, unlike a certain Potions master.

Malfoy looked outraged. "But, Professor-"

"I was not born yesterday, Malfoy. Potter and Weasley would not attack you unprovoked. You'll report to my office at six. No arguments, or I'll be taking away House points next."

Malfoy glared.

Professor McGonagall crossed her arms. "To lunch, the lot of you."

As they hurried off, Hermione said to them, "You shouldn't have done that- he does it all the time, I don't care if-"

"Oh, come off it, Hermione," growled Ron. "We don't care if it bothers you or not- he doesn't get to talk to you like that. There's nothing you can do to change that, and you know it."

Hermione didn't say anything, but she looked oddly pleased by this declaration.

* * *

"Ready for Hogsmeade?" Hermione asked the boys the next week. "I'm so excited! It's the only entirely wizard-inhabited place in Britain-"

"And there's Honeydukes!" Ron interrupted cheerily. "And Zonko's!"

Harry grinned. "Sirius said to steer clear of the Hog's Head, but to visit the Three Broomsticks. Wonder if butterbeer is really as good as he says?"

Ron shrugged happily. "Dunno, but today's gonna be incredible!"

Hermione was beaming. "There's so much to do!"

"C'mon!" Harry laughed. "We've only got today!"

They ran out of the Great Hall.

* * *

Hogsmeade was better than expected. Harry couldn't believe it- he had never seen such a magical place- save for Hogwarts and Diagon Alley, of course. Harry was thanking God that he had Sirius- Uncle Vernon would have never signed his permission slip.

The three of them spent an entire hour in Honeydukes, and while Hermione went to Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop, Harry and Ron ran into Zonko's Joke Shop to drool over the merchandise.

When their arms were full of bags, and their money pouches almost completely depleted, they met up at the Three Broomsticks. Harry handed Ron and Hermione a few galleons for butterbeer, despite their protests, and the three friends cheered each other.

About twenty minutes later, just as the three of them were chortling at a joke Ron had made, Harry glanced out the window and saw a man in a shabby cloak walk past. Normally, this wouldn't be suspicious, but the man locked eyes with him for a second, and green eyes met amber.

Harry choked on the butterbeer he'd been sipping. He stood up abruptly, startling his two friends. "I just remembered- I wanted to post a letter to Sirius. I'll see you guys in- say- an hour?"

Ron looked at him curiously. "You need an hour to post a letter?"

Harry ran a hand through his hair nervously. "Well, I was going to have a look another look around, er, Honeydukes- maybe send something to Sirius. And I want to avoid Malfoy at all costs- and who knows how long that could take?"

Hermione looked at him worriedly. "Harry, you're rambling."

Harry sighed. Ron took pity on him. "Knowing you, mate, this is probably important. See you in an hour."

Grinning and wondering what he had done to deserve such amazing friends, Harry ran out of the Three Broomsticks, desperately searching for the man he had seen. He saw the edge of a tattered black cloak go round a corner and followed it, trying not to look suspicious.

Harry followed the man through Hogsmeade, dodging students and shoppers, until the man disappeared behind an old house. Harry paused, debating going further. He knew this place- it was the Shrieking Shack, the most haunted place in all of Britain. Should he follow the man in?

In the end, Harry decided that "most haunted place in Britain" didn't really compare to fighting a Basilisk, or beating Voldemort to the Philosopher's Stone. He resumed chase.

As it turned out, Harry didn't actually follow the man _inside_. Just around back. When the man pulled off his hood, Harry wasn't surprised to see the scarred face of Remus Lupin.

Harry crossed his arms. "You shouldn't be here. There are Dementors everywhere-"

Lupin smiled, waving Harry's concern aside. "I can handle Dementors."

"But you don't have a-"

"Wand? No, I didn't, but I do now. Don't worry about me, Harry. I've come to warn you. _Beware the rat_."

Harry frowned. "The rat? What rat?"

Lupin shrugged. "I'm not sure. All I know is that he's much too close to you for my liking. So remember what I wish I'd known twelve years ago: Never trust a rat."

Harry's brow furrowed, but he didn't comment. "I'll keep a lookout."

This seemed to satisfy Lupin. "Good."

Harry cocked his head. "Is that all you came here for? To warn me?"

Lupin frowned slightly. "I- I think so."

Harry was concerned. "What do you mean, you _think so?"_

Lupin's frown deepened. "Azkaban... did not leave everything untouched," he admitted. Harry could tell that this terrified Lupin, and felt sorrow for this man who had been through so much. "Sometimes my mind... slips. It's becoming harder to stay in the present. I... I fear I'm losing my mind. Slowly."

Lupin's hoarse voice was so low by the time he had finished, that Harry almost couldn't hear him. When Lupin's words registered, however, his blood chilled. "Then- then how-"

"How do I know I am sane at this moment?" Lupin offered him a small smile. "Because right now, I am not twenty-one and trying to stop a war, or a schoolboy who's terrified of someone discovering his secret. Right now, I'm an innocent fugitive who is determined to save his friend's son- like he couldn't save them." he added in a whisper.

Harry didn't want to ask. But he had to know. "What- what did they think you did? What were you sentenced for?"

Lupin's shoulders sagged, and his eyes became glassy. "When your parents went into hiding, they had to choose a Secret-Keeper to entrust with their location. Only the Secret-Keeper can tell someone their hiding place, even if other people have access to the place. Your parents chose a Secret-Keeper, and the only people who could visit them- that is to say, the only people who knew where they were- were Dumbledore, myself, Sirius, and... Peter Pettigrew."

Lupin suddenly looked shameful as he continued. "Your parents, at first, asked me to be Secret-Keeper. They thought Sirius would be the obvious choice, and they didn't want to put him into unnecessary danger, especially since you would go into his care if anything were to happen to them. But I- I was doing dangerous work for the Order, work that put me in danger constantly- work that would make it only too easy for Voldemort to capture me. Now, the Fidelius Charm that was used works like this- the Secret-Keeper cannot be tortured into telling their secret. But there are others ways to get that information. A Secret-Keeper must tell the secret of his own free will, but... if, say, they had captured someone I cared about and tortured them until I told on your parents... I didn't trust myself to keep their secret under those circumstances. I refused. I always assumed that they had chosen Sirius.

"Then- Halloween night. I had felt on edge all night, but I thought it was just because the full moon was approaching. Finally, though, I couldn't stand it anymore. I ran to your home- only to find the Dark Mark hovering over it." Lupin's face looked so haunted, and Harry was entranced. Sirius had never told him the whole story, but now- now the puzzle pieces were fitting together. "I ran inside, only to find James- my friend, my _brother-_ dead on the floor." Lupin let out a horrified gasp. "I ran upstairs, into your old room. Lily was- Lily was... dead. And Sirius was holding you, shaking, and when he looked at me, I knew- no one can fake that kind of pain. I knew then what Peter had done.

"I ran. I ran to confront him, to stop him before he could hurt anyone else, and before I knew it, he was accusing me, and the street had been blown up, and Peter- Peter was gone. And then- you know the rest."

Harry was silent, absorbing all the information. He had thought that the tale of his parent's death couldn't get more tragic- he was wrong. A friend's betrayal. Harry shivered. Sirius had told him tales of his Hogwarts days- he knew that Peter Pettigrew had been just as close to his father as Harry was to Ron and Hermione. Harry couldn't imagine what that would feel like- in his last moment, James Potter had felt such a heart-wrenching blow, on top of fear for himself and his family. Harry looked at Lupin, to find the older man desperately searching his face for something. Harry realized with a jolt that Lupin thought that he'd be angry at him or something. And Harry was angry- but not with Lupin. He was angry with Peter Pettigrew, angry with Voldemort, and even a little angry with Sirius for keeping something of this magnitude from him for so long- but not with Lupin.

He understood what had happened to Lupin. He understood that Lupin had been just as much of a victim as his parents had been. And he admired Lupin for his strength and endurance. He knew that Lupin didn't get out of Azkaban unscathed, but he appreciated that Lupin had come to warn him despite what it could mean for him. He couldn't imagine twelve years with Dementors. He hadn't even managed to stay conscious during a single meeting with one.

"I'm not- upset with you or anything," Harry quickly assured him. "I've just never heard the whole story."

Lupin winced. "I'm sorry you had to hear it like this."

Harry smiled. "You're not to blame. At all."

Lupin looked deeply saddened by this. "I am. I refused. Forced them to choose Peter."

"No. I don't blame you, and Sirius told me enough about them for me to know that they wouldn't blame you either." Harry said firmly.

Lupin's eyes met Harry's, and Harry was startled to see the raw emotion in the werewolf's eyes. "But Sirius. I've let him down."

Harry shook his head. "Sirius won't blame you, once he knows the whole story."

Lupin stared at him for a few moments, before smiling gently. "Thank you, Harry." he said sincerely. "You have... no idea how much that means to me."

Harry grinned and nodded. He glanced at his watch. He still had twenty-five minutes before he had to meet Ron and Hermione. "Er- Mr. Lupin?"

Lupin smiled kindly. "Call me Remus."

"Can- can I ask you something? That really doesn't have anything to do with what we were just talking about?" Normally when asking such a thing, Harry would feel rather stupid, but he found that Lupin put his mind at ease. He wasn't completely comfortable around the man, but he felt safe around him, which was a feeling Harry constantly craved, considering his past.

Lupin- Remus- nodded. "Of course."

Harry regarded him curiously. "If- if things had been different... if you hadn't gone to Azkaban, what would you have done?"

Remus frowned thoughtfully. "Like... occupation-wise?"

Harry nodded, glad that Remus had been able to make sense of that rambling.

"Well," Remus began slowly. "Not a lot of jobs are open to werewolves, but... if, say, they were, and I could have done _anything-_ perhaps something to do with Defend=se Against the Dark Arts- it was always my favorite subject in school."

Excitement coursed through Harry, an idea beginning to form... "You mean, like, teaching?"

Remus looked a bit surprised. "Maybe. In truth, I've never thought much about it."

"You're really good at Defense, then?"

"Yes," Remus dragged out the word. "I suppose so. Why?"

Harry launched right into it. "Well, see, my Defense teachers have been awful. The first one had Voldemort on the back of his head-"

Remus blanched. "He _what?_ "

"- and the second one was _Gilderoy Lockhart_ , and he had _no idea_ what he was doing-"

"Gilderoy Lockhart? I tutored him in Defense, he only barely passed, his strong suit was Charms-"

"- and this year our professor is just dull, nobody can stay awake in that class. So- would you teach me what I need to know?" Harry finished anxiously.

"You- you want me to teach you Defense? But Harry, you already have a teacher-"

"No," Harry shook his head. "Our teacher isn't teaching us anything. But you just said you tutored Lockhart- I'm betting you helped a lot of students-"

"Well, I did, but I haven't cast a spell in over a decade-"

"- and I really need help." Harry admitted, cutting of Remus' protests. "The Dementors in the school- they affect me differently than everyone else. I need a way to fight them. There must be a way to fight them off. I can't get through school if I-" he stopped.

But now he had Remus' attention. "If you what?"

Harry was beet red as he mumbled, "If I keep fainting whenever they pass by."

Remus' eyes widened slightly. "Harry- Harry, you must understand, Dementors affect different people differently, depending on their worst memories. Yours are, undoubtedly, more traumatizing than most, so the Dementors have a stronger effect on you. It _does_ _not_ mean that you are weak. In fact, it proves that you are strong."

Harry felt relieved. He had been worried that the reason the Dementors got such a strong reaction out of him was because he couldn't handle them the way other people could. But Remus had picked up on that insecurity immediately, and Harry wondered if he had once had similar fears. "But there's a way to fight them?"

Remus nodded. "The Patronus Charm. It's highly advanced magic, however. Definitely above third-year level."

"But you can teach it to me?" Harry asked eagerly.

"I- I can, if you're willing to work hard enough. It won't be easy." Remus warned.

Harry beamed. "Yeah, I'll do whatever it takes. Thank you, Remus."

Remus' expression softened. "Of course, Harry. Just remember- the Patronus Charm should only be attempted in emergencies."

Harry nodded. "Yeah. I wouldn't want you to get sent back there." He grinned gratefully at Remus. "I've got to go catch up with my friends now- can we start next Hogsmeade weekend? It's exactly two weeks from now."

Remus smiled and nodded. "It would be my pleasure."


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey, y'all! Here I am, back again. Be sure to check out the poll on my profile. Hope you all are alright, wherever you are. So, I want to kind of express the fact that even though Remus can't be a Hogwarts professor, he's still Harry's favorite teacher. I really have no idea how long this story will be, so we'll just have to wait and see where this takes us. Any questions? Thoughts? Concerns? No? Then enjoy!**

 **Chapter 9**

"You have to think of your happiest memory, Harry. A memory so strong, you can't help but feel happy when you recall it." Remus repeated patiently.

Harry huffed in frustration. "I can't think of anything stronger. I've tried the first time I rode a broom, my first Quidditch match, even when Sirius finally told me I was a wizard! Nothing's working."

Remus looked thoughtful. "Perhaps not a memory, then. It can be a thought, a fact, a belief- anything that makes you happy."

Harry frowned. "What do you think of, when you cast a Patronus?"

Remus bit his lip. He wasn't as thin anymore, but he still had looked entirely too excited to see the food Harry had brought him. Harry wished the man didn't have to hide anymore. "I haven't cast a Patronus in many years- not a corporeal one, anyway."

This didn't answer his question. "Why don't you cast a corporeal one?"

Remus hesitated. "I don't like the form it takes." he admitted. "It's a painful reminder- it's a wolf."

Harry winced sympathetically. "How do you know what form it will take?"

"Your Patronus corresponds with your strongest traits," Remus explained. "Mine for example- wolves are very loyal creatures, and pack animals. They watch out for each other, but they can hold their own in a fight. My being a werewolf is just a coincidence. Sirius Patronus is a dog- like his Animagus form. Dogs are also notoriously loyal, but also playful and spirited. Although, they can be terrifying when threatened. That's Sirius- fierce and loyal, strong and stubborn."

Harry considered this, deciding to ignore the new information that Sirius was an Animagus for now- but he and his godfather _would_ be discussing it. "You and Sirius are a lot alike, then."

Remus smiled. "I never thought of it like that," he mused. "I suppose we are, in some aspects. I've just never been as... wild."

Harry grinned. A little awkwardly, he asked, "What about my parents?"

Remus' face brightened as he recalled the good memories. "Your father's Patronus, and Animagus form was a stag. A majestic, noble creature. Strong and brave, one that knows when to fight and when not to- although, your father didn't always know the difference. Your mother's, I believe, was a doe- gentle and protective, and known for being a beautiful creature. Lily was uncommonly kind, and a very protective of her friends..." Remus smiled kindly at Harry. "You remind me of them both."

Harry smiled, a warm feeling blossoming in his chest. He loved to hear about his parents. Remus showed him a different side of them then Sirius did. Sirius always told him about the mischief that James got up to, and the fiery temper Lily had- Remus told him about James' unwavering loyalty, and Lily's genuine kindness. And with that thought, Harry readied his wand and shouted, " _Expecto Patronum!"_

Silvery light that wasn't quite a liquid or a solid burst from the tip of Harry's wand, then quickly dissipated. Harry lowered his arm, disappointed, but when he glanced at Remus, he saw the werewolf beaming like he never had before. "Excellent, Harry! Brilliant!"

Harry was doubtful. "But- it was just a bunch of silver light."

Remus still looked as though Christmas had come early. "Yes, Harry, but considering your circumstances- meaning, your inexperience with more advanced magic, and your limited practice- this is tremendous! You're very talented, Harry. You've just proven that."

Harry glowed from the praise. "Really?"

Remus nodded eagerly. "Yes. I'm proud of you."

Harry grinned.

Remus glanced up at the setting sun. "You'd best be off, Harry- we don't want you out past curfew. McGonagall would have a conniption. You've made excellent progress. You'll be back next Hogsmeade weekend, I presume?"

Harry nodded, his glasses glinting from the sunlight. "Yeah. Thanks, Remus!" As he headed towards the castle, he almost missed Remus' soft response. "You're very welcome, Harry."

* * *

Tonks, scowling, sat across from Sirius in the Leaky Cauldron. She grumpily ordered a drink while Sirius sat there like the prat he was, watching her amusedly. Finally, when she had finished most of her drink, Sirius asked smugly, "Bad day?"

Tonks glowered at him. "The worst." She threw her hands up in the air. "All I want is to help an innocent man gain his freedom! Is that too much to ask? Apparently, because today's search got me nowhere! Absolutely _nowhere!_ This is awful. It could take weeks at this rate."

Sirius grinned cheekily at her. "Patience is a virtue, my dear cousin."

Tonks threw a napkin at him, which didn't even hit him before it floated back down onto the table. Sirius barked out a laugh.

Tonks crossed her arms. Then, seriously, she said, "But Remus has waited too long already."

Sirius too became sober. " _If_ Remus is innocent... because this investigation is to prove whether or not Peter's dead... he won't mind waiting. He was always annoyingly patient, with everybody."

Tonks huffed, blowing the bubble-gum pink hair out of her eyes. "Yes, well, doesn't mean he'll wait forever."

Sirius shrugged. "You never know. The man, whether he's insane at the moment or not, is a genius. He's brilliant. Never known anyone smarter. He knows how to play his cards right." Sirius' eyes widened. "Merlin... he could be insane. I didn't even think..." Sirius looked deeply unsettled. "I didn't even think that they could have broken him."

Tonks so badly wanted to tell Sirius that Remus was sane. She didn't know why she hadn't told him about finding the werewolf. Part of her thought she was selfish, obviously causing her cousin unnecessary pain. But the other part of her, the larger part, knew that if Sirius knew that she knew the location of Remus Lupin, he might do something rash that could jeopardize everything.

Tonks sighed. Things would be so much easier if they could just _tell_ people. But, everyone- including Dumbledore- thought that Remus was guilty. Also, if the Auror office got wind of what she was doing, she'd be fired for sure. She had worked too hard to lose this job now.

And Sirius, she knew, had his own reasons for keeping silent.

Tonks leaned back in her chair, propping her feet on the table. She regarded Sirius curiously, and dared to ask a question she had always been too afraid to ask. "If it were he in your situation... What would James do?"

Sirius looked up, shocked and caught by surprise. He was usually so guarded, it was odd to see him so... full of emotion. Tonks wondered if maybe, once upon a time, he hadn't been like that.

"James. James. If- if I had died. If there was a chance Remus was innocent. Uh- first James would check on Lily." Sirius babbled.

Tonks blinked. "That's not what I-"

"Then," Sirius gave no sign that he had heard her. Perhaps he needed to say this. "James would have grabbed Harry, and would have been terrified of letting either of them go, even though Voldemort had gone after me. He'd hold them close. He'd mourn me. He'd mourn Peter. He'd mourn the Remus he'd known. But if Remus could be innocent-" Sirius' voice dropped to a whisper. "-he'd take any chance he had to get him back."

Tonks nodded slowly. "Now, if I was having this conversation with James- what would he say Sirius would do?"

Sirius' brow furrowed in realization. "He'd say that _I'd_ take any chance to get him back."

Tonks smiled. "So. What are you going to do?"

"Try harder to find him."

Tonks ordered another drink for them both. "Right. Anyway, I went undercover as a student today-"

Sirius looked up, interestedly.

"-and found absolutely nothing. There isn't a rat in that whole castle."

"Yes, there is. You just haven't looked hard enough. Remember, Ron Weasley has a rat. He's a Gryffindor third year."

"See, that's the thing. I followed that kid all day- as different people, of course- and I never once saw a rat." Tonks frowned.

"I'll... I'll ask Harry in my next letter," Sirius promised. "Or I'll meet up with him at his next Hogsmeade weekend."

Tonks nodded. "Gosh. This is exhausting."

Sirius snorted. "Everything about Remus is exhausting. Always has been. Stubborn as hell, prideful, and too smart for his own good. I- I'd give almost anything to tease him about his cleaning habits again. Or those jumpers he used to wear constantly. Or his obsession with chocolate." Sirius smiled fondly at the old memories. "Merlin, I just can't reconcile that bookish teenager with the ruthless Death Eater he became."

 _Maybe_ , thought Tonks, _you don't have to._

"Well," Sirius stood up, his chair scraping loudly against the floor. "I've got to go- I'll write Harry soon. Take care of yourself, little cousin."

Tonks pouted at being called 'little'. "Call me that again, and I'll hex you."

Sirius grinned. "I believe it. Bye, _Nymphadora_."

Tonks fumed as Sirius sauntered out of the pub. Then she gave her own grin. Aiming her wand carefully, she walked over to a Disapparation point.

Sirius' squeal of surprise was music to her ears.

 **A/N: Sorry for the short chapter. Next one will be longer.**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hey, y'all! I'm back for more. So, some important information: This is not a romantic story. Tonks and Remus will not get together during this. I may hint a bit at their relationship, but they will just be good friends. So, if you ship SBRL, you can think of it that way if you want, but again- I'm writing about Sirius and Remus' awesome** _ **friendship**_ **. Also, if you have any questions, comment, and I will answer you. I'm sorry about the slow updating. School, y'know. And sickness. :(**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 10**

Harry frowned, staring at the letter Sirius had sent. Why, of all things, did Sirius want to know how Scabbers was?

"Hey, Ron?"

"Yeah, mate?"

"Er... How's Scabbers?"

Ron's face immediately darkened. "That mangy fleabag of Hermione did him in, I'm certain! Why she keeps that thing around, I'll never know-"

Harry tuned the rest out. _Scabbers is missing_. He wrote Sirius. Ro _n blames Crookshanks, Hermione's cat. Why?_

Harry signed the letter, and turned to Ron, interrupting his all-too-frequent rant about Crookshanks. "I'm heading up to the Owlery. Want to come? The change of scenery might do you good. I know someone," Harry was careful not to mention Remus' name. "That says that sometimes, all you need to do to figure something out, is a bit of a break." He pointed at the Potions essay Ron had been fruitlessly working on for about three hours.

Ron followed his gaze and sighed. "You're probably right. Yeah, I'll come."

Together, they headed up to the Owlery, Harry attempting to find a memory happy enough for a corporeal Patronus, Ron rambling about the latest Quidditch match the Chudley Cannons had won.

Perhaps, next time, he could try the time he had received his first O in Transfiguration- no, he really didn't care very much about his grades, as long as he was passing. Maybe he could try the first time he had won a Quidditch match- yes, that might do it. Or when Hermione had been un-Petrified.

Harry frowned. He couldn't wait until next Hogsmeade weekend. Surely, there was a way to get to Hogsmeade when it wasn't permitted- where there were no Dementors or Mrs. Norris in his way. But who-

Oh, Merlin's beard. The answer should have been obvious. _Fred and George_.

"Ron?" Harry asked suddenly, interrupting whatever his friend had been saying.

Ron looked startled. "Yeah?"

"Do you- do you know where Fred and George are?" Harry asked anxiously.

Ron looked perplexed. "Well, if they're not in detention, they'll be in the common room-"

Harry began running.

"Wait!" Ron called. "Where are you going? _We_ have detention with McGonagall in an hour!"

"I'll be back by then!" Harry promised, rounding a corner.

He burst into the common room about five minutes later. "Fred?" he called breathlessly. "George?"

The twins in question looked over at him. "Yeah, Harry?"

"Can- can I talk to you for a minute? Alone?"

Sharing confused glances with each other, the Weasley twins walked over to him.

"Alright, Harry?" Fred asked, his forehead creasing in worry.

Harry nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, I just need to know- is there a way to Hogsmeade besides the main path? One that isn't being guarded by Dementors?"

Identical grins spread over their faces. "Why, mate," exclaimed George. "You came to the right place! _Of course_ there's a way into Hogsmeade!"

"We've got just the thing." Fred told him proudly. "Wait here."

Fred disappeared up into his dormitory, and then reappeared a few minutes later, clutching an old bit of parchment. He eagerly gave it to Harry, looking very excited.

"Go on, then," grinned George. "Open it!"

Harry did, skeptically. He looked at them blankly. "It's an old piece of parchment."

They gasped. Fred shook his head. "Harry, you disappoint us. Honestly, what you're holding is the secret to our success. It is anything but an old piece of parchment." Fred touched the tip of his wand to the parchment with a wicked grin. Looking around to make sure no one was listening, Fred whispered reverently, " _I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."_

At first, nothing happened. Then, Harry watched in awe as ink began to spread across the parchment, forming words.

 _Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs_

 _Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers_

 _are proud to present_

 _THE MARAUDER'S MAP_

Harry felt a thrill of excitement go through him. He knew those names. Something Sirius, or maybe Remus had said in passing... "What is this?"

"These guys," sighed George. "Are our idols." Gently, he unfolded the parchment, revealing a map of Hogwarts, and...

"Does this- does this track everyone in Hogwarts?" Harry asked in disbelief.

George nodded happily. "It shows you where everyone is, every moment of everyday, even if they're in disguise, or invisible. There's no hiding from the Marauder's Map. It shows every secret passage- that one's caved in, but this one looks good. Try that."

"How'd you get this?" Harry asked curiously.

"Nicked it from Filch in first year." explained Fred. "It was under a file titled ' _Confiscated_ _and Highly Dangerous'_."

"So, I can borrow this?" Harry inquired eagerly.

Fred and George exchanged a look. "Y'know, Harry," George began carefully. "We are accomplished mischief-makers. And we already know about all the secret passages... We feel it's time to _pass on the magic_ , so to speak."

At Harry's confused look, Fred made it clearer. "You can keep it."

Harry's eyes widened behind his glasses. "Seriously? Are you sure?"

The Weasley twins grinned. "Imagine what you could do with that. More than we could at this point." Fred smiled, eyes twinkling.

Grinning like a pair of Cheshire cats- not that they would understand the comparison- the Weasley twins left Harry standing there, practically glowing with excitement.

He'd be able to perform a Patronus in no time.

* * *

Remus stared out the window of the Shrieking Shack. His eyes were burning from staring at the sun for so long, but he wasn't comprehending the pain. He was lost in thought again- a dangerous thing for him. Remus was recalling hazel eyes and crooked glasses, and a hand snatching a golden, walnut-sized ball from midair.

James Potter, after twelve years, continued to haunt him.

 _The book was ripped from his hands. He looked up into a pair of laughing eyes._

" _You read too much, Moony. C'mon, it's Christmas break! Wanna help flood the Slytherin common room with Shrinking Solution?"_

 _He frowned. "We'll get a month's detention for that."_

 _The tall boy across from him cocked his head to the side. "So?"_

 _He grinned. "I'm in."_

Now he saw fiery red hair whipping in the wind, emerald green eyes crinkling at the corners as the owner laughed, and a quill flying over a scroll of parchment.

Lily Potter would never fade from his mind.

" _Remus!" she called to him. "Isn't it a beautiful day?" The whole school was spending the day outside, free from classes. The two Gryffindor prefects were by the lake's edge._

 _He shrugged, hunched over his Charms essay. "Yeah, I guess."_

 _The quill was gently tugged out of his hand. He looked up, and amber eyes met green. "I care about work, too, Remus," she said softly. "But if it's all you ever think about, you're going to miss something."_

 _He frowned. "Like what?"_

 _She smiled. She never smiled with just her mouth. She smiled with her whole face. "Like how ridiculous Potter and Black are being. Or how pretty the day is. Or how the sun is still shining, despite the war going on outside."_

 _He considered. "You're right. Fancy a swim?"_

 _Her eyes widened. "A-"_

 _He shoved her into the water, but she caught the sleeve of his robes at the last second and brought him down with her. They surfaced, laughing._

" _Remus Lupin!" she screeched- but she was smiling. "You horrible boy, what was that for?"_

 _He spat water out of his mouth, grinning wolfishly. "I just couldn't let you pass up this marvelous swimming opportunity- not after your beautiful speech."_

 _She splashed him._

Then- grey eyes accosted him suddenly. Bark-like laughter, shoulder-length black hair...

Sirius Black was standing next to him.

"So, Moony, how was your Christmas holiday?" he asked chirpily, in a very Sirius-like manner.

He glanced up at his friend. "Fine, thanks, Padfoot. Yours?"

The other boy shrugged. "Fine. James and I went sledding. Oh, and I got disowned."

The werewolf choked on his hot chocolate. "Padfoot- start with that, Padfoot, you have to _start with that!"_

But something was wrong. Now, Sirius was flickering, what he was saying was getting all jumbled- then Padfoot was gone altogether-

Remus gasped, eyes widening. No. He had slipped back into _memories_. He had known that he was _recalling_ with Lily and James, but he had thought he was _presently_ with Sirius- but he wasn't. He wasn't sixteen anymore. He was thirty-three. Too much time had passed.

He hated having a broken mind.

Every month, he lost his mind to the wolf- the last and most terrifying thing to lose. To have his very identity stolen from him every month- every time, his heart nearly stopped with fright. Remus could handle the pain and some prejudice, but he had never gotten used to losing himself.

The very idea that he might lose his mind outside of the full moon- he'd rather die than let that happen. That's why he had to complete this last mission of protecting Harry from Peter- he refused to live a half-life.

"Remus?"

The soft call startled Remus. Without his werewolf hearing, he wouldn't have been able to pick up on it at all. He peered out the window of the Shrieking Shack, searching the ground for the source. A dark figure stood against the night. Remus saw light glinting, and a flash of green-

Harry.

"Coming," Remus rasped softly. He hurried out of the Shack, and strangely enough, the thought that Harry might have betrayed him never even crossed his mind.

Remus exited the Shack, and approached Harry. "Harry? What are you doing out so late? It's not a Hogsmeade weekend. It's barely been three days."

"My best mate's brothers- I told them I needed a way out of the castle undetected- they get up to a lot of mischief, they drive McGonagall insane sometimes- and they gave me this. Don't worry, I didn't tell them about you. Is- is okay that I'm here?"

Remus smiled. "Of course it's fine, Harry. Just- just promise me that you'll never come on the full moon, alright?"

Harry nodded.

Remus clapped his hands together. "Now- what did your friends give you?"

From his cloak, Harry produced an old bit of parchment-

Remus' breath caught in his throat. It couldn't be...

Could it?

Sure enough, Harry brought the tip of his wand to the parchment and uttered the words Remus himself had uttered with his friends countless times during their school days...

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

Remus looked on in awe. "The Marauders Map."

Harry looked surprised. "You've heard of it?"

Remus grinned with boyish pride. "I was one of its four creators."

Harry's eyes widened. " _Really?_ Blimey! That's amazing! So- I can use it for now, right? I mean-"

Remus chuckled. "Of course you can. Technically, it's your birthright. I was Moony, Sirius was Padfoot, _he_ was Wormtail- and James, your dad, was Prongs."

Harry looked at the map in a whole new light. "Blimey." he said again, weakly.

Hesitating only for a moment, Remus put a steady hand on Harry's shoulder. "You'd make James proud, if you put that to good use."

Harry looked up at him, a very James-like glint in his eyes. "Oh, I intend to."

Remus squeezed his shoulder, and marveled at the fact that the boy he'd barely known for a couple of months, and had known from the start that he was a werewolf, didn't flinch or pull away.

He didn't even blink.

Just smiled a bit wider.

Oh, yes. He was James Potter's boy, all right.

 **A/N: Before I have people out for my blood, I meant to leave Sirius' memory un-italicized. This is because at this point, Remus had lost his grip on reality. Tell me what you think of this chapter. :)**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Hey, y'all! I'm back for more. :) Thanks to everyone who followed/reviewed/favorited, and thanks to everyone who has read this story. Your support means a lot to me. So, without further ado, here's the next chapter. Tell me what you guys think. :)**

 **Happy Thanksgiving!**

 **Not the last chapter!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 11**

Sirius sat at his kitchen table, in the apartment he and Harry shared. He stared unblinkingly at the mug of untouched hot chocolate on front of him. He hadn't made hot chocolate since _that night_ , because it reminded him of the man who had loved it so much. The man who had betrayed Lily and James.

 _But had he?_

Sirius had hoped that by making the hot chocolate, the Remus-smell would trigger something, or unlock a clue, so he could know for sure whether helping Remus was the right thing. After all, Remus had once sworn that chocolate could solve all of Earth's mysteries. And that it had healing properties- the man used to eat it by the dozen after full moon transformations.

Unfortunately, the hot chocolate was not speaking to Sirius.

"And now I know that _I'm_ the crazy one," Sirius groaned, putting his head in his hands. Then he looked at the hot chocolate again. He scowled. "Moony was wrong about you. You don't help at all."

No response.

Sirius sighed and stood up. As he did so, however, his hip knocked into the table, and as Sirius leapt to still it, the hot chocolate wobbled and spilled.

Cursing, Sirius grabbed some paper towels and began mopping the mess up. The brown liquid had reached an impressive distance across the floor, and left Sirius wondering why he hadn't just used magic.

As he stood up, however, his head hit a shelf, breaking it, and the books stacked on it fell off.

"Damn!" Sirius yelped as a large cookbook nailed his shoulder. Merlin, today was _not_ his day.

He gathered up the books, most of which he hadn't read in years- some he didn't even recognize. His hand froze, however, when he realized what book he was currently holding.

The crazy pirate adventure by the Muggle author.

A.k.a. _Treasure Island_ , by Robert Louis Stevenson.

The one Lily had made him read.

The book he'd been enjoying right before he saw the Dark Mark in the sky.

With trembling hands, he opened to the first blank page.

 _Sirius-_

 _I know you aren't the biggest reader, but this is a Muggle classic- a great way to annoy your parents, right? Anyway, I think you'll like it- it's got danger and excitement, suspense and sorrow- just the way you like life. Minus the sorrow bit. Give it a try, please? For your favorite sort-of sister-in-law? If you read it and hate it, you can have a couple galleons. Happy 21st Birthday!_

 _-Lily_

She had tucked a longer letter in there, and Sirius took it out to read it.

 _Dear Sirius,_

 _So, today, you turn twenty-one. Congratulations! You're getting old- and yes, and am well aware that next month, I'll be joining you. Let me laugh while I can._

 _I am writing in the hopes that ten years from now, you can look back on this and remember what were- hopefully- hard times, and reflect on how much better your life has gotten. For, surely, this war can't last that long._

 _As you know, James and I have gone into hiding to protect Harry. We really hope you'll agree to be godfather. Anyway, you must know that while we trust you inexplicably, we cannot tell you who the Secret-Keeper is. We respect your decision not to be- no hard feelings, I promise! Asking you to put yourself through such danger was hard enough. I must admit, a part of me was relieved that you had refused._

 _It's a bit amusing, really, watching everyone try to figure out who our Secret-Keeper is- I think you think it's Remus, Remus thinks we forced it upon you or something, Marlene thinks it's Dumbledore- even Mundungus told me he thought it was Mad-Eye._

 _Perhaps, I should hint to someone about the true identity of the Secret-Keeper. Although, that may be unwise, just in case this letter gets in the wrong hands. But I like to think that I'm too clever for them to figure out my clues. But you, Sirius- you are clever enough to figure me out! You're the one who told me to ask James out in 7th year, because you knew I was beginning to like him._

 _Everything has changed since then, hasn't it? I miss the laughter, and the smiles. I know you four- you Marauders- miss your mischief. Once this war is over I promise- you can prank me as often as you like, and I won't get mad- as long as it is reversible._

 _Thank you for being there for me over these past few years. I know we've never gotten along particularly well, but since we've graduated, you become something of a brother to me. I love you, Sirius- but don't you go giving James any misguided ideas!_

 _Everyone, I think, needs a Moony, Prongs, Padfoot, and Wormtail in their life. Very random, I know, but it's true. I love the four of you- James is my lover, but you three are my brothers. You all are great for a laugh, or even serious conversation- but before you laugh at my expense, yes, I know I made a Sirius pun. Hilarious. Even funnier after about eleven years of knowing each other. (Note the sarcasm)_

 _Really, though, take care Sirius. I couldn't bear it if anything happened to you. And remember- if anything were to happen to me or James, Harry will need you. I know you won't let me down. Just don't kill my son during some absurd broomstick stunt._

 _Well, I'll let you get back to your (most likely obnoxious) birthday party. Remember what I've said, Sirius. Also, keep in mind: It's never too look back, or to fix one's mistakes. Forgiveness comes in many different forms._

 _All my love,_

 _Lily_

A tear splashed onto a spot by Lily's name. Sirius took a shuddering breath. How he missed that redhead with a temper to match a Hungarian Horntail whose eggs had been threatened.

Sighing, Sirius replaced the letter in the book, standing up. He picked the- thankfully unbroken- empty mug up off the ground, the lingering smell of chocolate in the air reminding him of why he had poured himself the drink in the first place.

Too bad it hadn't given him the answers he was looking for.

Something in the letter caught his eye. Something Lily had written...

 _But I like to think that I'm too clever for them to figure out my clues._

 _But you, Sirius- you are clever enough to figure me out!_

 _I should hint to someone about the true identity of the Secret-Keeper._

Remus used to love solving puzzles in school. There were a million different codes, and a million ways to crack them. Once Remus had shown him a simple yet effective Muggle code...

He scanned the letter. Yes. There it was. Five of the paragraphs, the first one talking about the Secret-Keeper, spelled out a word. Or, rather, the first letter of those five paragraphs did.

Peter.

Bloody hell.

* * *

"Your hair is weird."

Tonks rolled her eyes. She had disguised herself as a Hufflepuff second year, a decision she was regretting. Her hair wasn't even a strange color- just dark red. Lots of girls here had the same color. She turned her blue-eyed and freckled face towards the girl who had spoken- Pokey, or something.

"Yeah? How come?"

Pokey tilted her head. "It's too... poofy."

Tonks stared at her. _Poofy?_ _Her_ hair was too poofy? Pokey's looked as though she had just stuck her finger in one of those Muggle elektratic thingies!

This was why that girl didn't have any friends and had felt the need to latch onto a poor, unsuspecting Tonks.

Tonks quirked an eyebrow. "Really."

Pokey shrugged, frizzy blonde hair sticking up in all directions. "Yeah. Just thought you should know. So you can fix it. It makes you look ugly."

That was it. Tonks pointed a finger at Pokey. "I've had enough of you! Always nagging, always criticizing- don't you know the expression ' _if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all'?_ Well, now I'll return the favor! You think _I_ look ugly? Maybe you should look in the mirror! I mean, do you even wash your hair? And you have the nerve to insult _my_ hair! _I just thought you should know so you can fix it!_ Oh- now you're crying. Stop it. I refuse to feel guilty. I refuse."

In the end, Tonks and Pokey- whose real name, Tonks discovered, was Jenna Paige- lost ten points for Hufflepuff each. The prefect who had reported them greatly watered down the story to Professor Sprout, because, really, this wasn't the first time Paige had caused similar problems. Luckily, Sprout, as soon as she heard that Paige was involved, dismissed them with their punishment, so she didn't get a good look at Tonks and realize that she wasn't _actually_ a student.

Tonks trudged back up to the Hufflepuff common room. She was sleeping on one of the few couches there. Tonks settled against the yellow cushions, sighing. Of course, she had known that helping Remus wouldn't be easy, but she had expected to have made some sort of progress by now.

She reflected on what had happened earlier that day. Did she feel guilty for yelling at a twelve-year-old? Yes. Did said twelve-year-old deserve it? Yep. Did that make it right?

Tonks sighed. Probably not.

She'd never admit it, but she had inherited the Black family temper. It was the only thing, besides physical traits, that Sirius had inherited.

Aw, well. Sometimes she thought Mad-Eye must be part Black, since his temper rivaled her own.

Tonks closed her eyes. Sleep now, tomorrow- another search for a rat. Maybe she'd search Hagrid's.

* * *

"Ron, Crookshanks can't help it. It's not his fault- nor mine for that matter! You can't blame a cat for acting like a cat."

"I'm not. I'm blaming you for not keeping that- that _thing_ locked up, where it belongs!"

" _This is not my fault!"_

" _You're wrong!"_

Hermione seethed.

Ron scowled.

Harry sighed.

Ron and Hermione looked at him, expecting him to take their side.

Harry considered his words carefully. "Ron, you can't blame Hermione for the way Crookshanks acts- he is, after all, a cat."

Hermione looked triumphant, but Harry continued. "And Hermione, maybe you should have done a better job at keeping Crookshanks away from Scabbers." Ron looked a little too pleased, so Harry added, "But we don't even know for sure if Scabbers is dead. Can't we stop arguing about it?"

Ron pouted. "No. Scabbers is dead- how else could he have disappeared? And that _monstrosity_ is the reason behind it, I'm sure." He pointed an accusatory finger at Crookshanks.

Harry sighed again.

If Scabbers was somewhere, he better show himself before Ron strangled Hermione's cat.

* * *

Later that evening, Harry snuck out to Hogsmeade, ensuring that it wasn't a full moon first.

He hadn't told Ron or Hermione about the Map, yet. He didn't want Hermione to convince him to do something stupid, like show it to McGonagall. And he couldn't exactly show Ron but not Hermione.

Harry reached the Shrieking Shack. He called Remus' name, but received no answer. Frowning, Harry tried again. Still nothing.

Filled to the brim with worry, Harry searched for a way into the Shack. Hitching the bag of food he had brought Remus higher onto his shoulder, he circled the building. He knew there must be a way in and out- Remus had told him that he only put up protective wards on the Shack during the full moon, as to not draw the Aurors' attention. Finally, he found a hidden door in the woodwork. Prying it open with a lot of brute force (and a little bit of magic), Harry entered the Shack. His heart was in his throat. Had the Aurors found Remus and carted him back to Azkaban? Was Remus still here? Or would Harry find blood-stained walls and deafening silence?

As a matter of fact, Harry did find blood-stained walls- but it was far from silent.

The whole Shack shook with muffled shouts and groans. Harry's heart was pounding. Was the Shack haunted after all?

He looked around, eyes widening at the sight of dried blood on every surface, at the claw-marks carved in the wood, and the furniture that stood in shambles. Harry climbed the rickety stairs, praying that they held his weight, and hurried into what he assumed was supposed to be a bedroom. There was a ratty mattress with its guts spilling out, and a few tattered blankets on top of it. There was a large window with the remains of curtains hanging around it, and in the far corner there was a dark shape...

It didn't take a genius to figure out that this was where the moaning was coming from.

Harry approached it warily. It looked like a man huddled there, but Harry had never heard a man make such a pitiful sound.

Harry crouched down, now afraid for an entirely different reason- he wasn't afraid of the man, per se, but more of what was happening to the man.

"Remus? Can you hear me?"

Remus' head snapped up, but his amber eyes revealed that he was somewhere far away- somewhere Harry couldn't reach him.

"James," rasped Remus, looking seemingly through Harry. "I'm so sorry. I failed. It's my fault... my fault."

Harry frowned, biting his lip. "No, Remus, no... whatever it is, it's not your fault."

Remus began trembling. "Didn't mean it... if I could take it back..."

Harry knew that he had to get Remus out of the dark place he had entered, and fast. Remus' mind was of great importance to him, and Harry hated seeing him in this state.

Something Remus had said came back to Harry. _Azkaban... did not leave everything untouched. Sometimes my mind... slips. It's becoming harder to stay in the present. I... I fear I'm losing my mind. Slowly._

Oh, no.

Gritting his teeth in determination, Harry gripped Remus shoulders tightly. Shaking his slightly, Harry said, "Remus! It's ok- everything's fine. Come back. Dad's not here. James isn't here."

It wasn't working. Remus' amber eyes were growing darker with every second that passed. Harry was losing him, and he didn't know how far Remus could go before he couldn't come back.

Then, an idea struck. "Sirius! Sirius is here, Remus!"

Remus' eyes seemed to focus as his gaze snapped to Harry. "...Padfoot is here?" he asked weakly.

Harry nodded eagerly. "Yeah! He's waiting for you outside- but you need to stand up."

"Sirius..." breathed Remus. "I have to... see him. It's been... too long."

Harry nodded again, glad that Remus seemed to be coming back to him. Remus struggled to stand up, so Harry grabbed his wrist. With this touch, however, Remus appeared to snap out of it- he staggered away from Harry, clutching his head and groaning. When he looked up again, he seemed surprised to see Harry there. "H-Harry- what are you doing here?"

Harry looked at him sheepishly. "I came for more lessons, but..." he trailed off, knowing that Remus would put the puzzle pieces together.

Remus colored slightly. "I'm... sorry you had to see that Harry." he told him softly. "No one... no one should have to see that."

Harry looked straight into Remus' eyes, gaze unwavering. "No one should have to go through that." he countered.

Remus sat heavily on the remains of the bed. He seemed so tired, Harry wished there was a way to take away his pain, at least for a little while. He approached Remus slowly, and sat on the bed next to him. Harry knew that Remus must be embarrassed about the whole ordeal, but Harry didn't think any less of him. Rather, Harry feared for the man who was going through so much, and made a mental note to cherish the time he'd have with his teacher. If his life had taught him anything, it was that you never knew which day was your last.

Quietly, Harry asked, "Are you alright?"

Shakily, Remus nodded. "It's not usually that bad. Normally, I can pull myself out. But, well, the full moon's coming up, and... Well, it's never exactly kept me healthy before."

Harry nodded. Hesitantly, he asked, "Does it hurt... transforming?"

Remus blew air out of his mouth slowly. "I don't mean to scare you, Harry, but to be completely honest... it's excruciating."

Harry's brow furrowed. "I'm sorry." he said sincerely.

Remus offered him a wane smile. "It's not your fault, Harry."

Harry shrugged. "It's not yours, either."

Remus sighed. "No. It's not. But people always need someone to blame." Remus looked incredibly sad. "Sometimes, it doesn't matter who takes the fall, as long as the papers satisfy the audience."

Harry knew exactly what Remus was talking about.

He took a deep breath. "Last year, students were being Petrified, and messages were being written in blood on the walls." He registered Remus look of surprise out of the corner of his eye. "I kept hearing voices that nobody else could hear... they were all threats. Rumors began spreading- the Chamber of Secrets had been opened."

Remus' eyes widened in recognition. "The monster that Salazar Slytherin left behind. To purge the school of impure blood. But the monster was Petrifying children? That means... the legendary monster of Slytherin must have been..."

Harry could see the gears in Remus' head turning, and knew that if he was given enough time and information, he'd be able to figure it out. But he continued with his story. "Then, we figured out that I could speak Parseltongue- the whole school was calling me the Heir of Slytherin." He felt Remus' hand on his knee, offering silent comfort. "People were avoiding me and coming up to me to tell me their blood status- just to make sure they were safe. Nobody cared that one of my best friends since first year was Muggleborn, because she was Petrified too. But I found the Chamber- well, really, Hermione did- and it turns out, the monster was a Basilisk. That's what killed Moaning Myrtle the first time the Chamber was opened. I got rid of the Basilisk and saved Ron's sister Ginny- she had been possessed by this memory of Voldemort kept in a diary. It was... a scary year." Harry admitted. This was something he couldn't talk to Sirius about, because, well, Sirius' opinions tended to be heavily biased. "Does being a Parselmouth... does that make me someone who is supposed to be evil?"

Remus got off of the bed and knelt on the floor in front of Harry. Remus gripped Harry's elbows in his scarred hands as he spoke. "That's up to you to decide, Harry. Werewolves are supposed to be evil- but I never wanted that. I've always worked against that stereotype. It's not always enough to cancel out prejudices, and the bad things normally have a larger impact than the good things. But, ultimately, the decision lies with you. And, Harry, I can't claim to know you well, but I knew your parents and I know Sirius. You are more than your abilities. You are how you choose to use them."

Slowly, Harry nodded, grateful for Remus' words. Sirius would have told him that he was a good person, but that was because he was his godson, and had raised him. It was nice to hear the opinion of someone who had gone through something similar, if on a larger scale. Someone who didn't owe him their good opinion or felt obliged to give it to him. This was an honest opinion that Harry could trust, and he appreciated it.

"Will... will your mind get better? Or..." _Or will it only get worse?_

Remus sighed heavily. "Honestly, Harry, I don't know. I hope it gets better. I suppose... all I can do right now is do what I've been doing since I was bitten all those years ago."

Harry looked at him curiously. "What have you been doing?"

"Holding onto hope."


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Hey, y'all! How's it going? What'd you think of the last chapter? Thanks to everyone who followed/favorited/reviewed! Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. I hope you like this chapter. It wasn't easy to write.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 12**

Remus stood up swiftly, before Harry had time to answer. "Now, Harry- I assume you came for more lessons?"

Harry nodded hesitantly. "Yes."

Remus clapped his hands together. "Then let's get started."

Harry bit his lip. "Are you feeling well enough?"

Remus gave him a slightly embarrassed smile. "I'm fine, Harry. Tougher than I look."

Harry had to admit that he had a point. This frail-looking man _had_ survived (and escaped) Azkaban, after all. With a jolt, Harry remembered the bag he had brought.

He grabbed it and held it out to Remus. "For you."

Remus took it, looking at Harry curiously. He opened it, revealing a few chicken legs, a hunk of bread, and a flask of pumpkin juice leftover from dinner that night. Remus quickly sat on the bed, carefully taking the meal out.

"Thank you, Harry," murmured Remus, picking up the chicken and beginning to eat hungrily.

Harry grinned, and, under the ever-watchful eye of Remus Lupin, began practicing the Patronus Charm. Just as he was about to try again for the third time, Remus stood abruptly.

"Wait, Harry! I almost forgot- I've got something that will help with lessons, I think." he strode over to an old wardrobe that Harry hadn't noticed earlier, and slowly dragged it over to Harry, grunting with the effort.

Harry stared at it. It was... rattling. "What is it?"

Remus smiled. "A boggart. It managed to crawl its way in here- I saved it for your lessons. A boggart, you see, takes the shape of the thing you fear the most. I'm willing to wager, after seeing how hard you're working to overcome this obstacle, that what you fear most are the Dementors- fear itself.

"Now, to overcome a boggart, you must visualize something humorous, point your wand at the boggart, and say 'Riddikulus'. So, if you are unable to defeat the Dementor with the Patronus, defeat the boggart. Got it, Harry?"

Harry nodded, heart pounding. This was the closest he could get to facing a real Dementor.

Remus released the boggart.

The air grew cold. Harry could feel the happiness leaking out of him. He raised his wand. "Expec- expecto..." Harry swayed on the spot. "Expecto patro..." Harry heard a woman scream, and everything went black... and a new voice joined the fray, one he recognized...

"Harry? Harry? Are you alright?"

Harry opened his eyes. Remus loomed over him, looking worried.

Harry struggled to sit up. "Told you I faint when they come by." he mumbled.

Remus helped him sit up all the way, and asked him the oddest question Harry had heard in a long time. "Do you have any chocolate?"

Harry gave him a strange look. "Er... in my robe pocket, I think. Why?"

"Take it out and eat some," Remus advised. "Chocolate helps against Dementor attacks."

Harry quickly dug some out of his pocket and took a bite, testing Remus' theory- which proved to be correct. Warmth filled his bones. "You're right."

Remus smiled. He put a hand on Harry's shoulder. "You look shaken."

Harry nodded sadly. "When that happens- I can hear- I can hear my mum. This time- this time I heard my dad, too. When Voldemort came... the night they died."

Remus stilled, his face cast in shadows. "You... you heard James?"

Harry nodded. "I think so." he whispered.

Remus grabbed a threadbare blanket from the bed, and draped it comfortingly over Harry's shoulders. "They'd be very proud of you," his teacher murmured softly. "Very proud indeed. You remind me of them. I," he paused. "I am glad that I got to know the young man you've become."

Harry smiled gratefully, his heart warming at the words. "I'm glad I got to know you, too."

Remus smiled again, and helped him stand up. "Do you want to try again?"

Harry nodded eagerly. "Yes, please."

Remus raised an eyebrow. "Don't overdo it, now." he warned. "It doesn't do to overwork yourself."

"I won't." Harry promised. "Just one more go?"

Remus nodded reluctantly. "Alright, then."

Harry practiced, and Remus returned to his dinner. They both conveniently forgot to call it a night, and worked until nearly one in the morning, when Remus suddenly realized the time.

"Goodness, Harry, we've been working much too long. Better hurry back before Filch catches you out of bed, or someone realizes you're missing."

Harry agreed, elated at the progress he had made. "Yes, Professor. See you next time!"

Harry turned and ran back to the castle. He hadn't meant to call Remus professor, but the smile that graced Remus' face at the title had been worth any future awkwardness.

* * *

Padfoot sat in a pumpkin patch, ignoring the strange looks he was getting from the occasional student. He was waiting for a certain student-in-disguise to come out of Hagrid's Hut. Honestly, Hogwarts needed to up their security.

Padfoot whined, and stretched. Tonks was taking _forever_.

Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, a sunflower-yellow head exited Hagrid's Hut. Padfoot yipped happily, bounding over to the young woman disguised as a twelve-year-old. Padfoot put his front paws on the girl's shoulder, and she giggled before pushing him off. They began walking towards the castle.

Once they were a safe distance away from Hagrid's, Tonks glared at him. "I told you not to put your filthy paws on me."

Looking around to make sure that they were alone, Padfoot transformed. "Aw, you know you love it," he teased. "You gonna drop the disguise, or what?"

Tonks sighed, and began changing. Her yellow hair was traded in for her usual bubblegum pink, she grew taller, and finally fit the image of his twenty-year-old cousin.

Tonks turned to him, holding a squirming something in her hand. "Found the little bugger."

Sirius whipped around to face her. His heart was pounding. "You did?" He hadn't yet told her about the letter's message and his hot chocolate revelation. He glared at the rat, noting that it had a toe missing. White-hot anger coursed through him. If this was truly Peter, then justice could finally be served.

Sirius growled. "If that's really Peter, then Remus is innocent. The Ministry will see how much they've messed up, he'll be able to come back- oh, and as compensation, they'll repeal those ridiculous werewolf laws-"

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Tonks warned him. "The Ministry might let him go, they might apologize- they'd better apologize- but they'd never repeal the werewolf laws. They're too proud for that. It will take more than false imprisonment for them to admit that they were wrong about the werewolves."

Sirius sighed. "I know you're right, but... I've seen what those laws have done to him. Hell, they didn't even give give him a trial because of his condition. Maybe if they had, Peter'd be behind bars, and Remus would have helped me raise Harry. We'd have worked together against werewolf prejudices... We'd have made the world more tolerant, safer."

Tonks raised a pink eyebrow. "You could have done all that without Remus."

Sirius shook his head. "No. You don't know Remus like I do. He has a way with words, and he's insanely patient- I'd have strangled the Ministry employees a month into my petition or whatever I'd have done to try to change the law. You'd like him."

"He's sounds like a good bloke." Tonks said casually.

Sirius narrowed his eyes. "I know that look."

Tonks frowned. "What look?"

Sirius crossed his arms. "That ' _I have a secret that I don't want you to know, and we're getting dangerously close to it'_ look."

Tonks stared at him. "That exists?"

"Don't you try to change the subject! Spill. And I'll know if you're lying." Sirius glared at her.

Tonks bit her lip, looking guilty. "Oh, alright. I... may have found Lupin before this whole operation. And, y'know, given him a wand and a fresh change of clothes."

Sirius stared at her. "Are you trying to tell me that you were reunited with my best mate before I was?"

Tonks shrugged. "Maybe?"

Sirius pouted. "This is so unfair! _I'm_ the one who didn't judge him for being a werewolf! _I'm_ the one who bothered to become an Animagus so he wouldn't have to be alone! But _no_ , the universe decided that you, the little girl he'd seen only, like, twice before, got to see him before me. I hate the universe."

Tonks rolled her eyes. "This is why you're still single."

Sirius frowned. "No, I'm still single because I don't want Harry to be traumatized for life."

Tonks held up her hands. "I'm going to stop you right there."

Sirius laughed. Then, he sobered. "How is he?" he asked softly.

Tonks blew the hair out of her eyes. "Honestly? Not well. He's too thin, and I think he has some sort of leg injury." She paused, looking at Sirius sympathetically. "And... I'm not entirely sure that he's completely sane."

Sirius' blood froze. Remus, not sane? But he was the smartest wizard that Sirius had ever known- except maybe for Dumbledore. Remus was funny, and sarcastic, and brave- the thought that Remus might have lost those things to something to something out of his control made Sirius' heart break for his old friend.

He had to find Remus.

He had to turn Peter in.

He had to protect Harry.

No matter what the cost.

* * *

Ron flopped onto his bed, munching on a chocolate frog. "So," he said, mouth full. "What's got you in such a good mood?"

Harry shrugged, grinning. It had been a week since Harry had first begun practicing the Patronus Charm with a boggart, and the previous night, Remus had agreed to teach Harry the things he was _suppose_ to be learning in Defense Against the Dark Arts. In summary, Remus had become Harry's Defense teacher- and so far, he was doing a much better job of it than any of Harry's other Defense teachers. All Remus had needed was a copy of the third years' textbook. "Just happy I finally understand my Defense homework, I guess."

Ron sat up quickly. "You do?" he asked eagerly. "Can you help me? Hermione's tried to explain it, but she makes everything seem so _complicated_ , and I suspect that she doesn't understand everything either."

Harry nodded. "Sure."

The two boys went down to the common room and began working on their Defense homework. When Hermione walked through the portrait hole, she stopped dead at the sight of them doing their work without her prompting.

Ron grinned at her. "Shocking, isn't it? Us being responsible."

Hermione rolled her eyes, but joined them. "Need any help?"

"Nope," said Ron happily. "Harry explained Defense already."

Hermione frowned. "You understood Professor Kennedy today, Harry?"

Harry shook his head. "Nope. I couldn't make heads or tails of what she was saying."

Hermione and Ron turned to stare at him. "Then," said Hermione. "How are you helping Ron?"

Harry cursed himself silently. He wasn't used to keeping secrets from Ron and Hermione, and he had forgotten for a second that they most likely wouldn't be supportive of the fact that escaped Azkaban inmate Remus Lupin was teaching him Defense Against the Dark Arts.

Harry battled with himself for a moment, before sighing. He looked at his friends and lowered his voice, despite the fact that they were the only people in the common room. "You guys have to swear that you won't try to talk me out of it. It's been happening for a while, and nothing bad's happened yet."

Hermione bit her lip, looking worried. "And this has to do with your sudden knowledge of Defense Against the Dark Arts?"

"Yeah." Harry took a deep breath. "I met Remus Lupin in Hogsmeade. He's been teaching me how to cast a Patronus, and other Defense stuff."

Ron's eyes were the size of marbles, and Hermione uttered a soft shriek. "Harry! Oh, Harry, that's so dangerous-"

Harry crossed his arms. "No, it's not, Hermione. Remus is innocent. He hasn't tried to hurt me once. Not once! See, this is the problem- no one is willing to listen to him, just because he's a werewolf."

Hermione bristled. "I don't care that he's a werewolf-"

"He's really helping you?" Ron interrupted. "I mean, his lessons work?"

Harry nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah. He's a brilliant teacher. Learned more with him than with any of the others."

Ron looked at Harry hopefully. "Can I come to the next one?"

" _Ron!"_ gasped Hermione.

"I'll ask him," Harry promised, ignoring Hermione. "He's a fantastic bloke. I'm learning loads."

Hermione huffed. "I think you're both forgetting that he's _a murderer_."

Ron frowned. "Harry said he wasn't. Besides, if Lupin were really a killer, don't you think that he'd have offed Harry already? Harry said he'd been going to these lessons for a while."

Hermione bit her lip. "He could just be biding his time. Or-"

"Hermione," Harry interrupted softly. "I trust him. He's a good person."

Hermione found herself unable to argue with that.

* * *

Remus bit the inside of his cheek, and blew out some air. "I'm not sure, Harry. It's one thing having you know that I'm here- I admit that I'm a little worried about your friends knowing my location."

Harry shifted nervously. "You're not mad? That I told them?"

Remus gave him a small smile. "I know what it's like to have persistent friends. And how hard it is to keep secrets from them."

Harry grinned, relieved. "So, if they promise to keep it a secret- can they come?"

Remus pondered it for a moment. "Are your friends trustworthy, Harry?"

Harry nodded solemnly. "I'd trust them with my life."

Remus' amber eyes bore into Harry's green ones. Harry refused to look away. Remus had once had friends he thought he could trust with his life- and it had imprisoned him and killed Harry's parents. But- Harry trusted Remus. He trusted his friends. And Remus truly believed that every child who wanted a chance to learn should receive that opportunity. Just like Dumbledore had given him that chance.

Remus found his resolve wavering. Finally, he sighed, smiled at Harry, and said, "You're friends are welcome here, Harry. Don't get caught."

The smile that lit up Harry's face was worth any doubts Remus still had.

* * *

The next week, Remus found himself face-to-face with a smiling Harry, a skeptical Hermione, and a strangely excited Ron.

"Professor," Harry began, using the name he had come to call Remus. "These are my friends- Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Guys, this is Professor Lupin. He'll tell you to call him Remus, but he _is_ our Defense teacher, so..."

Remus gave them a nervous smile. "Hello," he said softly. "I've heard a lot about the two of you."

Ron grinned suddenly. "All good things, I hope."

Remus laughed. "Oh, definitely."

His laughter seemed to make Hermione feel more at ease. "Professor?" she asked timidly.

Remus turned to her. "Yes?"

"So- so you're going to teach us what Professor Kennedy was trying to? We'll learn about boggarts, and dementors, vampires, and were-" She stopped herself, turning pink.

He nodded at her. "And werewolves. It's alright. You can say it. I don't mind." His smile grew wider. "I'm happy to answer any werewolf questions you might have. After all, ignorance is a large contributor to intolerance."

As it turned out, Hermione didn't have many werewolf questions- but Ron did. Remus tried his best to answer them all ("No, werewolves are not unnaturally strong.", "Well, I do like rare meat, but I'm not sure if it's a werewolf thing or a Remus thing. Probably a werewolf thing."), much to Ron's delight.

All throughout that week, Remus taught the three teenagers everything they had missed out on in Defense Against the Dark Arts. Hermione treated it like a regular class, bringing her copy of the textbook, and wrote notes. She requested homework, which Remus insisted to the boys was optional- whether Hermione made them do it or not, Remus didn't know, but he always had three essays to grade. They treated him like he was actually their professor, even calling him "Professor Lupin". Remus wouldn't lie- it made him feel valued, important, even, and that was something he hadn't felt for a very long time. He grew incredibly fond of the three Gryffindors, and reminded them after each lesson not to come during the full moon.

He very much liked teaching them. They were devoted students, staying late into the night on weekends, and paying rapt attention to whatever he said. They were a welcome distraction from the fact that the Aurors were still out for his blood, and he found himself slipping into the past less since they began seeing him.

He thanked Merlin for them everyday.

* * *

"Professor Lupin's bloody brilliant, isn't he?" Rona asked, beaming, as the trio made their way back to the Gryffindor common room after one of Remus' lessons.

Harry grinned widely. "Yeah."

Hermione bit her lip, looking worried but determined. "Actually, Ron, I wanted to talk to you about Professor Lupin."

Ron frowned. "Still hung up on the fact that he's a werewolf, are you? Or is it that he's an escaped fugitive?"

Hermione looked hurt. "That's not true! I was just going to say that you need to be careful-"

Ron scowled. "He's not going to hurt anyone-"

Hermione smacked his arm crossly. " _Let me finish!"_ When Ron kept his mouth closed, Hermione continued. "You need to be careful not to hurt his feelings."

Ron and Harry looked at her, confused. "Huh?"

Hermione sighed, rolling her eyes. "You keep asking all these questions about werewolves- and it seems a bit insensitive."

"I just want to know what's fact and what's fiction!" Ron protested.

"I _know_ that, Ronald. But when you're asking him _if he eats his meat raw,_ well, don't you think that would make him feel less than human? Like the animal most of society thinks of when they think of the word ' _werewolf'?"_

Ron opened his mouth, then closed it. He looked sheepish.

Hermione sighed again. "I'm just saying, I think he'd appreciate it more if you stopped treating this like you were being taught by a werewolf, and started treating this like you were being taught by _Remus Lupin_."

Ron nodded. "You're right. But I don't think of him as inhuman. I just want to know if what been said about werewolves is true."

Hermione's eyes softened. "I know. But Professor Lupin doesn't."

Harry smiled as they continued to their dorms. The fact that they were having this conversation meant that they had accepted Remus, and trusted him- liked him, even.

Harry knew that any prejudice could be overcome, if one was only willing to listen.

Tonight was proof of that.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Hey, y'all! How was chapter 12? It was a long one, I know... I hope you liked it, though. So, this is the next chapter. Obviously. So, has anyone ever heard of "You Are The Reason" by Calum Scott? I think it's perfect for when Remus goes back to Tonks in DH. Check it out.**

 **Also, check out the poll on my profile! Thanks to everyone who reviewed/followed/favorited! This story is beginning to draw to a close... But this is NOT the last chapter! XD Also, I'm rereading previous chapters... so sorry for the typos. This chapter's long... Sorry for the typos in here- I tried to get them all, but FanFiction's been acting wierd for me, so... yeah. Happy St. Nicholas Day!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 13**

Tonks burst into Sirius' apartment in a blur of neon. "I can't find him!"

Sirius squinted, shielding his eyes. "Tone down the hair a bit, will you? It's giving me a headache."

Glaring, Tonks changed her hair from an excruciating bright lime color to a semi-painful lime color. _Thank Merlin_.

"Now," Sirius clapped his hands together. "What have you lost?"

"Not _what, who_ ," Tonks despaired. "Remus left his parents' old house! I don't know where he is! I've been looking for two weeks- ever since we caught Peter."

Sirius' blood turned to ice. He glanced at the rat in the jar on his mantle. "You're sure you don't know where he is? You know for certain that the Aurors haven't found him?"

Tonks nodded. She looked miserable. "I'd have heard if they had. But where could he be? I'm worried about him. We're so _close_. To have everything come tumbling down now, when justice is just out of reach..." She trailed off, but Sirius knew what she meant.

It'd be one of the cruelest jokes fate had thrown at him yet.

And fate had thrown him quite a few.

Sirius' eyes hardened, and he clenched his jaw. "We _will_ free him. We _will_ clear his name. Goddammit, _we will beat this!_ I'm not failing him again. Let's go to Hogwarts. We're getting Harry's help. You know what, I bet the kid knows something. He's always in the thick of any sort of trouble, ever since he was born. We are ending this mystery, _once and for all._ " He slammed his fist on the table, stood up, stormed out of the apartment after grabbing his cloak, and Disapparated away, leaving a wide-eyed Tonks behind him.

* * *

Harry sighed, looking up from his Transfiguration essay. He was exhausted. The Dementors were taking a lot out of him. Even though, thanks to Remus, he could successfully cast a Patronus, he couldn't just use that skill willy-nilly. How'd he explain how he'd learn such advanced magic? No, better to leave it for emergencies.

That didn't stop him from feeling depressed on a regular basis, though.

Ron had very accurately said that the only people who seemed to be happy nowadays were the the Slytherins- but even they didn't have the same bite to their words that they used to. Harry just wanted to be able to go outside without feeling like sinking into depression.

Harry sighed again. He wondered how Remus was doing. The Dementors in Hogsmeade were probably bothering him just as much as they were Harry.

He remembered the day he had finally cast a corporeal Patronus.

" _You can do it, Harry," Remus said encouragingly. "Just focus."_

 _Harry grit his teeth. "I'm trying."_

" _Something that makes you incredibly happy, Harry. Something- a memory, thought, idea- that fills you with warmth. A feeling of acceptance, belonging. Strength, courage. Anything."_

 _Harry frowned, thinking. Finally, he settled on the day Sirius had taken him on a picnic in a golden field- someplace his godfather had used to visit often with his parents- and Remus. Harry recalled the peacefulness that had immediately settled over him, and the bliss he had felt. He knew, somehow, that his parents were there with them- even if it wasn't physically. He could feel his parents' presence._

 _And the change that had come over Sirius was truly amazing. He had been lying on the picnic blanket next to Harry, and for once, the challenging air about him had vanished. He was no longer the intimidating, rebellious ex-Black, or the slightly worried, a bit overprotective, a tad unsure godfather who was raising his best friend's son. Gone was the mix of the two that Harry usually saw. Here, Sirius was content to simply be- happy with the world and his memories of the people he cared so much about. Happy to be with his godson. Harry knew that this must be the Sirius Black that his father had known._

 _Here, in this field, they weren't The-Boy-Who-Lived, or The-Man-Who-Lost-It-All. The were Harry and Sirius, a family. He had never felt more at peace with the world, or with himself._

 _With this in mind, Harry concentrated very hard. As the boggart- in the form of a Dementor- approached him, he pushed his memory to the front of his mind. With a great amount of conviction, Harry yelled, "Expecto Patronum!"_

 _The familiar silver mist erupted from his wand, but this time it twisted and swirled together, until it took the shape of a noble and majestic stag._

 _Harry laughed out loud as the stag leapt and pranced about the room in the Shack, and Harry stole a glance at Remus' face. His amber eyes had misted over, but his lips had turned upward into the biggest smile Harry had ever seen him wear- he was positively beaming. In the light of the Patronus, the premature lines on Remus' face vanished- even the scars on his jaw faded into nearly nothing. He looked ten years younger, despite the grey hairs that had turned silver from the stag's glow._

" _You did it, Harry! It worked!" Remus shouted joyously. "Just like your father." Remus walked over to Harry, and clapped him on the back. "James would be so proud of you."_

 _Harry's heart glowed- he knew exactly which memory he would use next time._

Harry glanced out the window of Gryffindor tower and frowned. The Dementors were swarming the grounds- nobody had been outside in ages. Harry shivered, and burrowed a little further into the armchair he was sitting in.

Something was bothering Harry. The Dementors were acting strange. They were traveling in groups, instead of individually, and Harry had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Ron came hurtling through the portrait hole. "Harry," he gasped. "I've just heard- You know how Remus has been staying in the Shack?"

Harry set his school things aside, his heart barely daring to beat. "Yeah?"

Ron's face was white. "One of the villagers saw Remus- they were snooping around the Shack - and they contacted the Aurors. We have to warn him. Now. Hermione's already gone."

In an instant, Harry was on his feet. He and Ron ran through the corridors, to the statue of the witch with the hump- the one guarding the passageway to Honeydukes. They sprinted down the passageway, catching up to Hermione. They burst through the trapdoor, and flew down the path to the Shrieking Shack, desperately trying to get there before the Aurors and Dementors.

"If they catch him," panted Hermione. "They'll give him the Dementor's Kiss. They'll suck out his soul."

Ron's face, if possible, turned whiter. "And he won't receive a trial. Just like last time. They'll doom an innocent man."

Fiery determination burned through Harry's veins, making him go faster. "We won't let that happen."

The Shrieking Shack came into view. The three friends ran to the Shack, to where they usually met Remus outside for lessons. "Remus!" shouted Harry frantically. "Are you there?"

"Professor Lupin!" Hermione called loudly. "Please come out!"

"PROFESSOR LUPIN!" bellowed Ron. "HURRY!"

A shadowy figure appeared at the window, and a second later, Professor Lupin, looking terribly sick and in pain, leaned out, squinting at them. "What are you lot doing here? It's the-"

"The Aurors are coming!" Harry yelled. "You have to come with us!"

Remus' eyes widened, suddenly alert.

"Professor!" Hermione cried. "We have to get to Honeydukes-"

"No." said Remus. "There's a tunnel in here that opens up at the Whomping Willow. You three get in here, _now_."

They ran inside, and Ron began rambling. "This year's been awful! Dementors, Crookshanks, Scabbers disappearing-"

Remus, who was lifting a trap door, glanced up. "Who's Scabbers? You've told me about Crookshanks."

"Ron's pet rat, he disappeared," said Hermione impatiently.

Remus dropped the trap door in shock. "A pet rat? Does he- how long ago did you get him?"

Ron frowned. "Is now really the time-"

"Yes," insisted Remus.

"Er- I dunno, he was Percy's rat..."

"So," Remus said breathlessly. "About twelve years, then? Around the time the war ended?"

Ron looked confused and uncomfortable. "That sounds about right, yeah."

"Can't we do this later?" Hermione fretted. "They're coming!"

Remus, surprisingly, ignored her. "Your rat- does he have a toe missing?"

Ron stared. "Yeah, on his-"

"-right paw." Remus whispered. "Merlin. That's him. _That's Peter!"_

Harry gaped at his teacher. "What?"

Remus turned to him. "I told you, Harry- beware the rat. The rat, the rat- it was you in the newspaper!" crowed Remus. "Yes- where is he?"

Ron blinked, but Hermione answered. "He disappeared some time ago. I think Crookshanks might have..." she trailed off.

Remus shook his head. "No. Peter's too smart to be eaten by a cat. He must have hidden himself-"

"Peter who? And how can he be Scabbers?" Ron asked weakly.

"Peter Pettigrew was an unregistered Animagus," Harry answered, comprehension dawning. "When Pettigrew supposedly died, all that anyone could find of him was-"

"His finger!" Hermione yelped, understanding.

Ron looked horrified. "Are you trying to tell me that my pet rat is actually a man- and a _Death Eater?"_

Remus nodded. "We must find him. He is the the proof I need to be cleared- and he'll finally pay for what he did to Lily and James."

Ron still looked confused, but now he was determined. "If there's a chance you're right, then we have no time to waste."

With that, the four of them climbed into the passageway, and ran to Hogwarts.

* * *

Sirius and Tonks arrived in Hogsmeade, nearly giving Madame Rosmerta a heart-attack.

"C'mon, cuz," Sirius said. "We have to get to Hogwarts."

Tonks frowned. "But the Dementors-"

"I know another way in, past the Dementors." Sirius said impatiently.

Shaking her head, Tonks followed Sirius and they dashed into Honeydukes. Tonks could hardly believe that there was a tunnel to Hogwarts in the sweet shop's basement, but she didn't dwell on it for long. The two of them raced down the tunnel, emerging inside Hogwarts.

Tonks' eyes were wide. "That is _such_ a security hazard."

But Sirius wasn't looking at her. He was looking at his old professor, like a deer caught in the headlights. "Er... Minerva! How are you?"

"I was not aware that we were on a first-name basis, Mr. Black." McGonagall crossed her arms, reminded entirely too much of Sirius' school days.

Sirius sighed. "Listen, this is important. I need to see Harry."

Worry flashed across McGonagall's features. "I was just about to contact you about that. Mr. Potter- along with Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger- left school earlier, and have not come back." She hesitated, looking afraid. "Lupin was sighted in Hogsmeade earlier. The Aurors have already been contacted by one of the villagers."

"Damn!" shouted Tonks.

"Tonks! There you are! We have to find Potter and his friends before Lupin-" Kingsley had rounded the corner.

Something in Sirius snapped. They were hunting his best friend. _Nobody would touch another hair on Remus' head._ "NO! Shacklebolt, McGonagall, listen up: yes, we need to find Harry. But if you see Remus- _do not arrest him."_

McGonagall frowned. "Black, this is no time for personal revenge-"

"LISTEN TO ME!" Kingsley and McGonagall were shocked into silence. "Remus is not to be harmed. In fact, we must protect him. This is bigger than anyone imagined. Remus is innocent. We have to find him- and I bet if we find Harry, we find Remus."

"Sirius," said Kingsley hesitantly. "Lupin's not-"

Sirius transformed into Padfoot.

McGonagall shrieked. Kingsley's eyes bulged.

Sirius transformed back. "James, Peter, and I all became illegal Animagi so we could accompany him on full moons, so the wolf wouldn't tear itself up. We managed it in fifth year. I was the dog you just saw, James was a stag- and _that_ is Peter."

He pointed disgustedly at the rat in the jar in Tonks' hand.

McGonagall stared at him. "You mean to say that you three held Mandrake leaves in your mouth for a month- and I didn't notice?"

Sirius grinned. "Our greatest achievements, most people weren't even aware of."

Kingsley frowned. "I thought Pettigrew was dead."

Sirius shook his head. "So did I. Until I received Remus' message, and it made me look into his file- there were pieces missing, and then I found a coded letter of Lily's, and I only just realized that it's proof Peter was Secret-Keeper."

"We must find them." whispered McGonagall. She and Kingsley ran off, probably to alert Dumbledore and the Auror Department. Sirius glanced out of a nearby window. He saw figures emerging from the Whomping Willow-

"There!" Sirius ran, Tonks hot on his heels.

* * *

"So, let me get this straight," Ron panted as Remus helped Hermione from the tunnel. "We have to search the castle for a rat, before the Aurors- and Dementors- find you?"

"That would be ideal," Remus responded in his hoarse voice, favoring his bad knee- running really hadn't helped with the pain. "Or, if I'm captured, you three must continue with the search without me."

Harry lifted his chin. "So, the first choice, obviously."

Remus smiled. "Now-" he stopped suddenly, peering into the darkness. "Is that-?"

Harry turned. There, coming towards them from the castle, was a witch with neon hair, and a large, black dog.

Something tickled the back of Harry's mind, something Remus had said long ago...

The dog stopped a few feet away from them, and Harry instinctively moved closer to Remus. Then, in the blink of an eye, where the dog had been standing was-

"Sirius?" whispered Remus.

Sirius Black's long hair whipped about behind him in the cool wind. His grey eyes held a hundred emotions as he responded. "Remus."

The two men simply stared at one another for a moment. Then, Sirius flung himself at Remus' feet.

"Remus," he gasped. "I am so, so sorry. And I know, I know that I'm twelve years too late, and that you probably want to strangle me for my cowardice. I should have looked into the case, I should have requested a trial, I should have fought for you, I should have gotten all the answers. I-"

Sirius was silenced by a hand on his mouth. Remus knelt down in front of him. "You believe I'm innocent?" he asked, removing his hand.

Sirius nodded. "Well- now I do." He hung his head in shame. "I-"

Remus smiled at him, tears in his eyes. He pulled Sirius to his feet. "You talk too much, Padfoot. You're already forgiven."

Sirius' eyes snapped up to meet Remus'. "I am?"

Remus laughed. "Of course!"

Sirius laughed too, throwing his head back. Then he grabbed Remus into an enthusiastic embrace, nearly pulling the werewolf off his feet. Remus laughed, blinking rapidly, and returned the hug fiercely.

"You're too forgiving." Sirius mumbled into Remus' shoulder.

Remus gripped him tighter. "You're worth it, you fleabag."

Sirius laughed again, and said, "Speak for yourself, Moony. You're the one who needs a bath."

Remus pulled away, eyes wide. "Oh, yes _please_. With hot water."

Sirius grinned, something blazing in his eyes. "I promise. All the hot water you want, once this is over. Speaking of which-"

Sirius was interrupted by three jets of red light. They all missed, but Sirius and Remus had to jump away from each other, and Remus fell, crying out in pain. Sirius whipped around. "Kingsley! But I told you-"

"Sorry, Black," said Kingsley from behind them, next to two other Aurors and- Cornelius Fudge. "I tried. But the Minister-"

"Step away from Lupin, Mr. Black." Fudge said calmly. "It's time we put down that animal properly." He waved a Dementor forward.

Harry and Sirius both saw red. "You can't!" Harry shouted. "Remus is innocent-"

Fudge looked at Harry pityingly. "Mr. Potter, the werewolf clearly has you under his spell- I hear he was a rather good student in his day."

"No- Minister, please," Hermione begged. "Just listen- Remus never did any of that, it was Peter Pettigrew!"

Fudge scoffed. "My dear, Peter Pettigrew was killed by him," He gestured at Remus. "Twelve years ago."

"Minister," said Tonks quietly. "I think you should listen to-"

"Auror Tonks," said Fudge in a low voice. "You side with Lupin, and you'll lose your job."

Harry's eyes widened. He saw quite a bit of Tonks, as she was Sirius' cousin. He knew how hard she had worked to become an Auror, and how proud she'd been when her dream had come true. But Tonks, even though she flinched, straightened her back, and held her chin up defiantly.

"Good. I refuse to work for someone who's afraid of being wrong, and condemns others as consequence."

Fudge's eyes narrowed. "Excuse me?"

Tonks, though her hands were shaking slightly, looked her Minister square in the eye. "You didn't even give him a chance. You speak of equality, and justice, but you feed into the very prejudices you promise to overcome. Remus did not receive a trial last time- do not make that mistake again. You can still correct things."

Fudge's nostrils flared. "You, Miss Tonks, are f-"

"Minister," Everyone turned to see McGonagall, Dumbledore, and Mad-Eye Moody hurrying towards them. McGonagall spoke again. "Please, wait, we think there's more to the story- R-Remus?"

Remus looked over at his old professor. "Hello, Professor."

Mad-Eye looked conflicted. "Black. Explain."

Sirius took a deep breath. "Well- you see, the four of us- James, Remus, Peter, and I- all shared a dorm at school. We became friends fast. But about halfway through our second year, we figured out that Remus was a werewolf." Sirius paused, and let out a wry laugh. "Remus was terrified. He thought we'd all abandon him, turn him in as a dangerous Dark Creature or something. You remember, mate?"

Remus smiled sadly. "I remember."

Sirius smiled encouragingly back. "Well, it just brought us closer together. Then, the three of us decided that we wanted to do something to help Remus. So, we did some research and decided to become Animagi. We succeeded in fifth year."

Fudge's jaw dropped. Moody looked like he wanted to give Sirius a good smack upside the head.

"Then," Sirius continued. "We used our powers to accompany Remus on the full moon- the wolf didn't hurt itself, because it was too busy playing with a stag, dog, and rat. I always assumed, during the war, that Remus was Secret-Keeper, because he was so good at keeping things hidden."

"And I," Remus said quietly. "Assumed that Sirius was Secret-Keeper, because of how close he and James were."

"Nobody thought about Peter." Sirius sighed. Then he looked Fudge dead-on. "That Halloween, I was on edge all day. Finally, I looked out the window that evening- and saw the Dark Mark. I ran to the house, but I was too late- Lily and James lay d-dead upon the floor." Sirius took a shuddering breath. "Then Remus came. He looked so shocked, but just as soon as he had appeared, he disappeared."

"I went after Peter," Remus explained. "Once I had seen Sirius' face, I knew what had happened- you can't fake that kind of grief. I was afraid that Peter would try to go after someone else instead, so I followed him- and when I caught up to him, he began shouting to the whole street that _I_ had betrayed them, that it was _my_ fault." Remus' eyes seemed far away, and Harry was worried that he might get lost in the past again.

"All we knew," Sirius continued. "Is that there was green light, and the street exploded- and that Peter's finger was left behind. We thought that Remus' curse was so powerful, it blew Peter up into smithereens. But. Peter's Animagus form was a rat- so it is perfectly likely that he cast the spell himself after framing Remus, cut off his finger, and transformed, escaping to a nice wizarding family, as Remus took the blame. This rat," He pointed at the jar in Tonks' hand. "Is missing a toe. Right where Peter would be missing a finger."

Tonks held up the jar as everyone's eyes (save Moody's magical one, which stayed trained on Remus) swiveled to look at the rat.

Dumbledore's eyes crinkled at the corners. "It does seem to be an unnerving coincidence, doesn't it Cornelius?"

"Perhaps, Albus, but it may be exactly that- a coincidence." Fudge responded.

"Well," said Professor McGonagall. "There's an easy enough way to find out. The Homorphus Charm. If this rat really is Peter Pettigrew, he will have to resume his human form. If the rat is, indeed, a rat, then no harm will come to it."

Fudge didn't look convinced. "Lupin's supposed to be a clever wizard, though. Surely he'll have thought of that?"

Sirius growled. "Remus is not guilty. And he _doesn't_ have any ulterior motives."

Harry shivered. This was all very complicated. He was afraid for Remus, and for Sirius, if he kept speaking to the Minister in such a way. The setting sun did nothing to warm Harry, whose thoughts were turning bleak, rather like their hopeless situation...

" _Harry, look out!"_

Something slammed into Harry's side, knocking him to the ground. He sat up and saw, with horror, that Remus had somehow thrown himself from his spot on the ground to push Harry out of the way. Which meant that now, Remus still couldn't stand, thanks to his busted leg. Harry felt fear like he had never felt it before as the Dementor that had descended on Harry grabbed Remus' neck, tilting his head upward...

Harry scrambled to his feet as the others shouted, and Remus tried helplessly to pry the Dementor's fingers off of his throat, mouth firmly shut. Harry pointed his wand at the creature, as dark thoughts tried to cloud his brain. He knew what he had to do, but the shouts of the others were making it hard to concentrate.

"Leave him, Moody, we have to get the children out of here!" bellowed Fudge.

"We can't leave Remus!" yelled Tonks.

"He's not worth it-"

"HE'S WORTH IT TO ME, YOU PREJUDICED GIT!" screamed Sirius.

And with those words, Harry's head cleared. He recalled Remus' joyous face when he had successfully cast a corporeal Patronus-

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

A silvery-white stag burst from his wand tip, and sailed over to the Dementor, causing it to release Remus and retreat.

For a moment, no one spoke. Then, Sirius laughed.

"Where the bloody hell did you learn to do that?" he asked, still laughing from the relief.

Harry's chest heaved. "Remus taught me."

Sirius' eyes watered. "Just like James."

Hermione's voice brought everyone's attention back to Remus. "Professor Lupin? Are you alright?"

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. " _Professor_ Lupin?"

Ron shrugged. "He was teaching us Defense. Seemed appropriate."

"Yes," wheezed Remus. "I'm fine, Hermione." He locked eyes with Harry. "Thank you."

Harry smiled.

Sirius crossed over to Remus. "Can you stand, mate?"

Remus attempted to put weight on his injured leg, and let out a hiss of pain. All the running he had done that night- and throwing himself in the way of the Dementor- seemed to have worsened the condition of his leg. "No."

Moody cleared his throat. "I say we clear up this rat thing before we do anything else.

Tonks reached into the jar and grabbed the frantic rat by the tail. She held him, suspended in the air, as Dumbledore performed the charm.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, Scabbers began to grow, and Tonks dropped him. Scabbers' fur receded, his nose and ears shrank, and his toes lengthened. In Scabber's place stood a small man with blonde hair and watery blue eyes.

"H-h-h-hello, S-S-Sirius," he stammered. "D-did you stop him? That c-crazed madman- there he is!" he shouted, pointing a stubby finger at Remus, with his middle finger, as his right index finger was missing. "There he is, Sirius, he tried to k-kill me, I only just got away-"

"Stop lying, Peter," snarled Sirius, an ugly look on his face. "And you can't talk- look at what you've done to Lily and James!"

Pettigrew trembled under everyone's gaze. "I had no choice!" he wailed. "He would have killed me!"

"Then you should have died, died like we would have done for you!" yelled Sirius.

Pettigrew turned his gaze to Remus.

"Remus! You understand, you know what it's like to be afraid, to do things you'd normally not do!"

Remus' eyes hardened, and for the first time since Harry had known him, he looked truly angry. "The difference between us, Peter," he stated coldly. "Is that I am not afraid of death- given the choice, I'd have rather died than betray Lily and James. I have spent my life trying to protect people- the moment your life was threatened, you turned your back on us!" Remus' voice had risen to a shout. "Your cowardice ended two lives, and almost a third, and it landed me in Azkaban! Twelve years, Peter! Twelve years you can't change."

Peter turned to Harry, shuffling closer and grabbing the bottom of his robes. "Harry- you sweet, brave boy... James wouldn't have wanted this, your father wouldn't have wanted me dead!"

Sirius' face contorted in anger. "Don't you touch him! Don't you even _speak_ to him, you filthy traitor- _get away from my godson!"_

Peter released Harry, breathing heavily. He turned in a circle, seeing with despair that he was surrounded.

Kingsley cleared his throat. "I think I can safely say, on behalf of the Ministry of Magic, that you, Peter Pettigrew, are under arrest."

Peter tried to scramble away, shoving Hermione aside and bolting, but Ron dived for him, catching him around the ankles. He successfully brought Peter down, and Tonks and Mad-Eye rushed to apprehend him.

Fudge looked distinctly uncomfortable. He cleared his throat, avoiding looking at Remus. "Mr. Black, while you have aided the capture of a Death Eater, the fact still remains that you are an unregistered, _illegal_ Animagus, the penalty of which, is time in Azkaban-"

"I do believe," Dumbledore cut in softly. "That Mr. Lupin has more than paid for his friend's wrongdoing."

Fudge shuffled his feet. "Yes, well, Albus, we will compensate for Mr. Lupin's... unfortunate situation accordingly, yet I truly believe that every man should pay for his own crimes-"

"And yet, Cornelius," said McGonagall icily. "That is exactly what happened twelve years ago, when Lupin went to Azkaban without a trial."

Fudge spluttered. "I'd like to remind you, Minerva, that Lupin was sentenced under Minister Bagnold-"

"But you did not revisit his case," McGonagall huffed. "So how, might I ask, do you plan on making up for _twelve years in Azkaban?"_

"I- er- a public apology, perhaps?" Fudge suggested weakly.

Everyone waited for him to continue, but he remained silent.

"What, that's _it?"_ exploded Sirius. "A _public apology?"_

"Well, I don't know!" yelled Fudge. "This is unprecedented!" Fudge looked around wildly, searching for an ally. Finding none, he turned to Remus. "What do _you_ want for compensation, Lupin? A bloody trophy?"

Remus looked startled. "I- I'm not sure," he said slowly. "I didn't expect this to happen."

"Well, come up for something quick, before they're after my head!" Fudge grumbled.

"Don't... don't imprison Sirius," Remus requested. "And let Tonks keep her job." He offered nothing else, just those two simple requests.

Fudge's anger dissipated. "What? That's it?"

Remus shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not a selfish man. I don't need much."

Fudge bit his lip. He glanced at Sirius, then back to Remus. "How- how about a public apology, a fine for Mr. Black, security for Miss Tonks' job, and one thousand galleons for way of apology?"

Remus smiled, looking exhausted. "That sounds perfect. Thank you, Minister."

Fudge hesitated, looking conflicted. "If there was a way to take away those years, Mr. Lupin, please believe that I would."

Remus' smile widened. "That means a lot, Minister." His smile faltered. "May... may I ask one last thing of you?"

Fudge nodded, appearing to be only slightly hesitant.

"Would you... Could you promise me that you will keep an open mind? Towards _all_ magical beings? Not just witches and wizards?"

Fudge stiffened. "You mean werewolves."

"Among others," agreed Remus. "All I ask is that you think seriously about passing any legislation to do with... 'Magical Creatures'. I don't know how much the law's changed since I've been in prison, but just your word that you will try not to let prejudice and old suspicions affect your decisions..." Remus trailed off, the unspoken words hanging in the air. _It would mean a lot._

Fudge considered Remus' words for a moment, and everyone held their breath in anticipation. Finally, Fudge answered. "I think, Mr. Lupin, that that is something I can promise that will benefit the wizarding world as a whole. An open mind. I can do that."

The relief and thanks in Remus' eyes was enough to satisfy even Cornelius Fudge.

Sirius whooped. "C'mon, Moony," he said gleefully, pulling Remus' arm over his shoulders and hoisting him to his feet. "Let's go get you in bed- you look exhausted."

Remus smiled woefully. "I wish I could, but I have to get back to the Shack." He pointed to the rising moon, which, unfortunately, was full.

Sirius nodded. He turned to Harry. "Harry, go to the Hospital Wing. You too, Ron, Hermione. I'll accompany Remus, just like old times. I'll see you in the morning."

Harry frowned. "Will you both be alright?"

Sirius laughed his dog-like laugh. "Don't worry. This will be the easiest transformation Remus has had in a long time. And I know how to take care of myself if things go downhill."

Fudge looked at Remus. "How did you escape Azkaban, Mr. Lupin? I must know, to prevent future break-outs."

Remus furrowed his brow, thinking. "I... I'm not sure," he admitted. "It was a full moon that night. I don't typically remember my transformations. I... I think I dug under the bars. In wolf form."

"That's right," confirmed Mad-Eye. "I looked the morning after the escape. Only a werewolf could do that- he must have used a lot of control over the wolf to have been able to channel its energy into digging the tunnel and escaping."

Remus smiled again. "That would certainly explain the tiredness afterwards."

Fudge nodded. "Well, then. Er- best of luck tonight, Mr. Lupin. We'll continue this conversation at a more convenient hour. Come along, children- to the Hospital Wing. I daresay you three have had quite the night..."

* * *

That night, as Harry lay in the Hospital Wing after receiving a Calming Draught, Harry listened as howls pierced the air. But, strangely enough, they were not tormented screams- rather, they were exclamations of joy that the wolf, for the first time in twelve years, was no longer alone.

 **A/N: Next up, the epilogue.**


	14. Chapter 14 (Epilogue)

**A/N: Hey y'all! I'm back for the last time- for this story, at least. There are plenty more to come, don't worry. I just wanted to take a second and express how happy I am to have had such a wonderful support group through the duration of this story. You all mean so much to me, and I am so happy that I got to share this with you. Yes, this is the epilogue, and I really hope you enjoy. Keep being amazing!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Epilogue**

Remus smiled contentedly as the cool wind blew against his face. He looked out at the field he was sitting in with Harry and Sirius- the very same field that he used to go to with James and Lily- and couldn't believe his luck. He was out of Azkaban, and out of hiding- life was good again.

The three of them had laid a picnic blanket down on the grass, and were enjoying the scenery. Remus was relishing the sensation of the sunshine on his face- something he hadn't been able to properly enjoy in over a decade. He had either been in prison or in hiding, and when he _had_ been able to go outside, he had been focusing on not getting caught by the Aurors. It was nearly a month since he had been reunited with Sirius and his innocence had been proven, and things were looking up for Remus.

The wizarding world now knew of his wrong imprisonment, and it had been considered quite the scandal. Remus was getting mountains of letters everyday expressing either condolences, or someone's opinion about whether he should still be locked up due to his being a werewolf. Sirius had nearly blown a fuse when he saw the first letter saying that they thought he should still be in Azkaban- it had taken both Harry and Remus to keep him from hunting down the witch who had sent it and strangling her. Though for the rest of that day, no one could stop Sirius' bitter ranting. Padfoot had taken to opening any letters addressed to Remus first, and burning the ones he didn't like. This, surprisingly, didn't bother Remus, because the letters that were burned were the minority of the ones sent, and it saved him from having to read a majority of the insults.

There had been many Daily Prophet articles, and quite a few reporters knocking at their door (Sirius had, quite insistently, requested that Remus stay with him and Harry), but all were turned away. It had been odd, for all three of them, having Remus suddenly living with them, at first. But in just two weeks, they all got used to it, and know Remus could hardly imagine living anywhere else. Luckily, Harry didn't seem to mind an extra uncle- he welcomed Remus in with open arms, for which Remus was grateful.

Listening to the sounds around him, Remus marveled at how bright everything looked. For so long he had only witnessed the greys and browns of Azkaban, and this field was even more beautiful than he remembered.

Sirius grinned at him.

Remus cocked his head to the side, looking at Sirius. At his godfather's side, Harry too looked up. "What, Padfoot?"

Sirius' smile grew wider. "Oh, nothing. I just realized that I still have an inch on you."

Remus blinked, before his own smile grew on his face. "Are you trying to tell me that your big revelation was that you're still _one inch taller than me?"_

The three of them burst out laughing, and Remus' eyes sparkled. Things were _so_ much better now.

Sometimes, he still slipped into the past. The first time Sirius had witnessed it, he had completely overreacted- once Harry had managed to drag Remus back to the present, Sirius had insisted upon Apparating him to Madame Pomphrey (because Remus obviously wasn't well enough to do it on his own). Sirius had fretted over him the next couple of days, always hovering over his shoulder, until Remus had finally snapped that he was _perfectly fine,_ and that if Sirius didn't give him some space, Sirius _wouldn't be_ fine _,_ and that he had already been confined to a cell for twelve years, so he didn't need to be confined to his _bedroom_ as well, _thank you very much_.

Needless to say, Sirius had given him some room to breathe after that.

Remus understood Sirius' need to protect him- Sirius was a very loyal man, and he felt as though he had failed Remus before, and was trying to make up for that now. The result: he was smothering Remus. But Remus knew that his friend would let up on that in due time, so he let it be.

For now.

Harry seemed to find all of this rather amusing.

As for Remus' bad leg- Madame Pomfrey had had quite a bit of fun fixing that-that is to say, she was very miffed that he hadn't gone to her sooner. She and Sirius had, for once, agreed- Remus was to stay in bed for at least a week until he was fully recovered.

Today was the first time he'd been let outside the apartment.

He was loving it.

He honestly couldn't think of anything that could make today better. He was with his two favorite people in the world (Tonks would be joining them later that evening), it was a beautiful day, he was no longer considered a criminal, and he finally had a full stomach.

He laughed from the sheer bliss of it all.

Sirius looked over at him. "Enjoying this?"

Remus grinned. "Loving it."

Sirius' eyes turned a bit sad. "I've missed you so much, Moony."

Remus' eyes held a similar sorrow, still a bit haunted from Azkaban. "I missed you too, Padfoot. But I'm here now. I'm happy."

Something like triumph shone in Sirius' eyes. "Good. It's about time." Turning to Harry, Sirius said, "Harry, show Remus that you _are_ better than James at flying. He doesn't believe me."

Harry grinned as Remus shook his head. "I'm sorry, but it's impossible. He can be _as_ _good_ as James, but he can't be better."

Harry grinned. "Do I get a new broom if I prove you wrong, Remus?"

Remus and Sirius exchanged a look. Sirius had, quite recently, purchased a Firebolt for Harry, the price of which had blown Remus' mind. They were waiting for Harry's birthday to give it to him.

"Er," said Remus, grinning slightly. "How about extra dessert tonight?"

Laughing, Harry agreed. Scooping up the broom he had brought with him, Harry ran to demonstrate his Quidditch skills. Two hours later, and Remus readily admitted that Harry was, in fact, even better than James.

James would have been so proud.

As Harry performed a particularly difficult (and dangerous) feat on his broom flawlessly, Sirius turned back to Remus. "Are you really happy? Or are you just saying that?"

Remus punched Sirius on the shoulder lightly. "Of course I'm happy. I'm back with you and Harry, aren't I? And out of that- place."

Sirius nodded slowly. "Just- it's okay not to be, you know? Harry and I- we're here to help you heal. And, well, you have a history of shouldering your burdens alone."

Remus leaned forwards. "Sirius, I'm okay. Not completely, maybe, but that will take time. Just you both being here... that's helping more than you can imagine. Not being alone... is important."

A mischievous light gleamed in Sirius' grey eyes. "I'm not leaving you alone, never again. I'll be your bloody _shadow_ if I have to be."

Remus glared at him, but it was ruined by his smile. "You do that, and I _will_ hex you- I'm not as rusty as you seem to think."

Sirius bit his lip nervously. "Speaking of hexing- McGonagall wrote the other day. She said the Defense teacher quit- something about inattentive students..."

Remus blinked. "Yes?"

Sirius took a deep breath. "She was wondering, if you're well enough, if you'd consider filling the position. Dumbledore wants to hire you."

Remus stared. "Dumbledore- Dumbledore wants _me_ to teach?"

Sirius laughed. "Of course. Who else?"

Remus frowned. "But, my condition and history- I highly doubt that the parents and students would like-"

Sirius scoffed. "Oh, please. As a parent- sort of- of one of the students, I fully support this proposition." His eyes softened. "There's no one I'd rather teach Harry. And yes, maybe everyone will need time to get used to the idea of having a werewolf or not-really-ex-criminal as a professor, but you'll win them over in the end. They'll be begging you to stay by Christmas, you mark my words. And, they'll supply free Wolfsbane every month, so you can keep your mind during transformations. I think you should do it."

Remus considered. It was very appealing- not the first few weeks, obviously, but Remus had faced prejudice before. He could handle a few Howlers as well.

And he _had_ loved teaching Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

Remus met Sirius' gaze. "Alright," he decided. "I'll do it."

Sirius beamed. "Excellent! I'll write straight away." Sirius stood up, brushing himself off, and beckoned Harry over. As the boy ran over to them, Sirius hauled Remus to his feet. "Come on, Professor R. J. Lupin. Let's go home."

Remus laughed, and joined his brother and nephew in everything but blood on the walk home. Oh, yes. Everything was _perfect_.

Holding onto hope had been worth it.

 _ **The End.**_


End file.
